Newsletters
Jordanian authorities said at least 10 people have died in recent days as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning caused by the use of domestic gas heaters locally known as “Shamousa” in incidents that occurred in Zarqa governorate and the capital, Amman.
The incidents prompted the government to suspend the sale of this type of heater and open a broad technical investigation.
The Public Security Directorate announced the death of four members of one family in the Hashemiyah area of Zarqa after they suffered suffocation inside a closed room where a gas-powered heater was being used.
Five other deaths were recorded from a second family in the same area the following day.
A 19-year-old man was also reported dead in the capital, Amman, within less than 24 hours in a similar incident.
Security agencies confirmed that carbon monoxide was the direct cause of death in all cases, resulting from its accumulation inside enclosed spaces without sufficient ventilation.
The gas is colorless and odorless and is medically known as the “silent killer.”
The Jordan Standards and Metrology Organization announced it has banned three local factories from selling this type of heater on the market and seized the quantities in their possession, pending the results of technical tests conducted by the Royal Scientific Society on samples of the devices.
In a statement, the organization said over 5,000 heaters had been seized as of Saturday evening, in cooperation with the Public Security Directorate. It noted that the heaters are locally manufactured, have been available on the market for years, and are not imported.
It added that due to their sensitivity, these devices are subject to strict regulatory procedures before and after being offered on the market.
The organization stressed that it will not tolerate any violation of approved technical specifications and warned factories and commercial outlets against selling any quantities during the investigation period, under penalty of legal accountability.
The spokesperson for the Public Security Directorate said all samples, including those taken from the homes where the suffocation incidents occurred, were sent to the Royal Scientific Society to determine the causes of any potential technical malfunction.
He stressed the need to stop using gas heaters of this type, regardless of their source, until final technical reports are issued.
He called on Jordanians to ventilate their homes regularly, avoid operating heaters in closed rooms or while sleeping, and adhere to the use of gas hoses no longer than 1.5 meters.
The incidents sparked widespread reaction on social media in Jordan, amid calls to tighten oversight of household heating devices.
This prompted the parliamentary Energy and Mineral Resources Committee to announce it will hold a meeting to discuss unsafe heaters and related suffocation incidents.
Meanwhile, the head of the parliamentary National Guidance and Media Committee, Hussein Al-Amoush, announced his intention to submit a parliamentary memorandum calling for the dismissal of the minister of industry and trade, in addition to demanding the resignation of the head of the Standards and Metrology Organization.
In remarks to Al-Mamlaka TV, Al-Amoush said this comes within the framework of assuming moral responsibility when errors occur that affect public safety.
Jordanian authorities renewed warnings about the dangers of carbon monoxide gas, especially during the winter season, amid the widespread use of gas-powered heating devices in several Arab countries.
They stressed that ventilation and adherence to safety instructions remain the decisive factors in preventing similar incidents.
4 min read
