Kirkuk

Two workers from Syria’s Kobani die in gas leak

KIRKUK — Two workers from the Syrian city of Kobani lost their lives on  Thursday due to a gas leak after digging a well in the Taza Khurmatu district of Kirkuk. One of the victims was a father of four children.

“The incident occurred when two workers from Kobani were engaged in well-digging work in Taza Khurmatu until around 2 a.m. After finishing their shift, they went to rest under a makeshift shelter and turned on a gas heater to stay warm. Unfortunately, a gas leak caused both men to lose their lives,” Abdulhamid Imam Mohammed, a close acquaintance of one of the victims, told 964media.

The victims have been identified as A.A., 33, a married man and father of four children, and B.M., 26, both residents of Kobani, Syria.

According to Abdulhamid Imam Mohammed, one of the workers had been employed in well-digging for several years, while the other had started working only four months ago. “They worked tirelessly, often through the night. Tragically, their lives were cut short while they were trying to recover from their exhausting labor,” he said.

The bodies of both workers were transferred to Azadi Hospital in Kirkuk, where authorities are conducting further investigations into the circumstances surrounding the gas leak. The bodies were released to their families on Saturday morning.