House damaged in Ranya explosion linked to gas leak

SULAYMANIYAH – A house near Ranya’s industrial zone sustained extensive damage Thursday after a gas leak ignited, local officials confirmed. The blast, which devastated the home’s boiler and structure, initially raised concerns that the boiler itself had exploded.

Ali Qadir, spokesperson for Raparin Civil Defense, told 964media, “Our teams arrived at the scene and began investigations. It was initially suspected that a water heater explosion caused the blast, but further examination revealed that a large amount of gas had leaked inside the house before igniting.”

Further investigation confirmed that a buildup of gas inside the residence, not the heater, was the primary cause of the explosion. One person sustained minor injuries and remains in stable condition. Photographs from the scene show severe structural damage to the building.

Qadir urged residents to inspect gas cylinders regularly and follow safety precautions. “Keeping gas bottles inside the house is unsafe,” he said. “If a leak is suspected, windows and doors should be opened immediately to allow ventilation and prevent such incidents.”

Most households in the Kurdistan Region rely on gas cylinders for cooking. These cylinders are filled at specialized facilities that source liquid gas from local fields, with retailers mandated to sell them at government-regulated prices.

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