Malayali dies in UAE; fume inhalation suspected — Know how heaters make sleeping in vehicles risky

Abu Dhabi/Kozhikode: A 28-year-old Malayali man was found dead inside a heavy truck in Masafi, Fujairah, after reportedly inhaling fumes from a heater he had switched on to keep warm while sleeping.

The deceased has been identified as Ansar (28), a native of Vallikkad, Vadakara. His body was found on Friday morning inside the truck in which he was employed.

According to preliminary findings, the death is suspected to have been caused by inhalation of fumes from the heater that had been operating inside the vehicle to ward off the cold. Fujairah Police have registered a case and are continuing their investigation.

The body has been kept at the Masafi mortuary. Relatives said it would be repatriated after completing the required procedures.

Why sleeping in a running vehicle is dangerous

Sleeping inside a vehicle with the engine or heater running is extremely dangerous due to the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Carbon monoxide is produced when fuel burns and is especially lethal because it is colourless and odourless, making it impossible to detect without specialised equipment.

When a vehicle is stationary with its windows closed, toxic fumes can accumulate inside the cabin due to poor air circulation. Once inhaled, carbon monoxide prevents blood cells from transporting oxygen through the body, leading to symptoms such as headaches, extreme fatigue and chest pain, before causing loss of consciousness and death.

A particularly tragic aspect of carbon monoxide poisoning is that sleeping individuals may die without ever realising something is wrong, as symptoms may not be felt before consciousness is lost.

Even when carbon monoxide levels are not immediately fatal, suffocation can still occur due to breathing recirculated air in a confined space.

Health experts advise that when feeling tired, the safest option is to exit the vehicle and rest in a place with good air circulation, rather than sleeping inside a parked vehicle with the engine or heater running.