AMMAN, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Nine people were dead after they suffered fatal respiratory distress due to gas leaks from home heaters in two separate incidents in the central Jordanian governorate of Zarqa, the Jordanian police said on Friday.
In a statement, the police said the first incident, which occurred on Friday morning, claimed the lives of five members of an Arab family, including a mother and her children, aged between 11 and 14.
Another incident was reported late Thursday in the same governorate, where four members of another family died after inhaling gas leaking from a heater inside their home, according to the statement.
Rescue teams from the Zarqa Civil Defense Department had transferred the bodies to Zarqa Government Hospital, the police added.
Last week, the Jordanian Civil Defense reiterated its warnings about the dangers of improper use of heating devices, which have increased due to the drop in temperatures. It emphasized that using heaters for long periods, especially without proper ventilation, may lead to fire hazards or breathing difficulties, due to issues like gas leaks or device malfunctions. ■