Anil Ninan, a 32-year-old from Kerala, was in the bedroom of his apartment in Abu Dhabi when he suddenly heard his wife, Neenu, screaming for help. Her dress was on fire. In an attempt to save his wife, Anil tried to remove the portion of dress that was on fire. Unfortunately, however, the fire spread on to his body, leaving him with 90% burn injuries.
After a week-long treatment, Anil succumbed to his injuries on Sunday night. His wife, who sustained 10% burn injuries, has recovered.
The incident took place on February 9 at their apartment in Umm Al Quwain, Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Their four-year-old son Ethan was sleeping in the room at the time. According to Khaleej Times, a short circuit from the electric box in the corridor of their apartment is said to have caused the fire.
Speaking to TNM, Sojan V Thomas, the vicar of St Thomas Mar Thoma Church in Ras Al Khaimah, where the couple are members, Neenu called out for help from their balcony when Anil was on fire, after which their neighbours, who live a floor above, broke open the door. He said that the fire had blocked their passage through the front door. The neighbour is also said to have sustained minor burn injuries.
The couple was initially taken to Sheikh Khalifa General Hospital in Umm al Quwain. On Tuesday, they were shifted to the burns unit at Mafraq hospital in Abu Dhabi for critical care.
Anil was admitted in a critical condition. According to another member of the church, Anil’s skin and deep tissues were completely burnt. She wrote a Facebook post about the incident where she wrote, “Neenu has started visiting him quite often. He shed tears when she talked. Not sure if he heard her or it was a part of fluid retention and ejection. Before that, when Neenu met him, his reading showed a variation. Nothing is physically visible.”
Anil’s vitals took days to stabilise, after which the management of the burn wounds began on Saturday.
Since they were third-degree burns, the hospital started a procedure to treat his wounds on Sunday. “A few hours before his passing, Anil blood pressure dropped and the procedure could not be carried out,” the vicar said.
“Once we clear all legalities, the body will be repatriated to Kerala in a day or two,” added Rev Sojan.
Neenu’s parents reportedly lived with them but were not at the apartment at the time of the incident.
Anil was working for a logistics company in Abu Dhabi. He hailed from Chengannur district of Kerala. He grew up in Kuwait and was the only child to his parents.