Young woman dies in kerosene heater fire in Muthanna’s Al-Rumaitha

MUTHANNA — A young woman in her twenties lost her life on Friday in a fire caused by a kerosene heater in Al-Rumaitha district, Al-Muthanna governorate. The fire erupted while the heater was being refueled while still operational, resulting in severe burns.

“A young woman in her twenties was brought to the emergency department at Al-Rumaitha Hospital following a fire caused by a kerosene heater,” a security source told 964media. “She succumbed to her injuries due to the extensive burns covering her body.”

According to the victim’s family, the incident occurred when the heater was being refueled while still lit, causing it to ignite violently.

Authorities have transferred the victim’s body to the forensic department, and her husband has been taken into custody for questioning as part of the investigation.

Due to chronic electricity shortages in Iraq, many residents rely on alternative heating methods during the winter months. Kerosene heaters are particularly prevalent, as they provide a dependable source of warmth.

On Dec. 18, a similar tragic incident occurred in the Abu Sayda sub-district, northeast of Diyala, where a woman and her four children perished in a gas heater fire while they slept.