‘Don’t sleep in cars with engine running’

MUSCAT: Sleeping inside parked cars for a long time in a closed space with the engine running can cause sudden death, experts warned on Saturday.

The Royal Oman Police called on everyone to stop the engine while sleeping or remaining inside enclosed spaces due to the risk of suffocation from toxic gases.

Doctors said toxic carbon monoxide (CO) emitted from a vehicle can enter the cabin under such circumstances and prove fatal to passengers sleeping inside.

 “Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas and is often called the ‘silent killer’. It is dangerous because it is colourless and odourless, making it impossible to detect inside the car,” said Dilip Singhvi, Specialist in Internal Medicine and Diabetes at Burjeel Hospital, said. “People may fall asleep after inhaling it. Continued exposure can affect breathing, stop heart function and eventually lead to death,” he added.

The warning comes after the South Al Batinah Governorate Police dealt with a report involving four Asian nationals who were found dead inside a vehicle in Al Musannah Governorate after allegedly inhaling carbon monoxide emitted from the vehicle’s exhaust while the engine was running.

Mohammed Yaseen Chowdhury said the victims were Bangladeshis. “All four men were aged between 25 and 35 years and belonged to the same family. Efforts are underway to send their bodies to Bangladesh on Tuesday.”