Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah prepares plan to inform the 23-year-old of family’s death.
It’s often hard to inform someone about losing a close relative or a friend, for fear that the person’s condition may get worse. While pain cannot be taken away, the much-needed comfort and support must be provided.
This is actually what Saqr Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah is working on: softening the shock and informing and supporting the 23-year-old traumatised Indian woman who lost her 31-year-old husband and two kids, aged one-and-a-half years and five, in a fire which totally destroyed the annex they were staying in the early hours of Tuesday.
A senior official said the hospital management has adopted an integrated sociological and psychological plan to comfort the 23-year-old woman who might have intense emotions, including depression, anger and guilt, when she is informed of the tragedy.
Dr Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Director of Saqr Hospital, said on Thursday that Ummusalma, who was admitted to the ICU with burns in her hands and face, has recovered from coma. “The problem now is how to tell her about the death of her husband, Changanakkattil Shihabudheen, son Finaz and daughter Majitha. The first question she asked after revival was about the condition of the trio and where in the hospital they are.”
The woman is not aware so far that the three of them have died after inhaling too much smoke and suffering severe burns. “She will most likely feel alone in her grief, and hence we are trying to find a relative to help her through the grieving process.” Dr Al Nuaimi said Ummusalma is still in deep shock after she saw the fire and smoke filling her bedroom and could not help her husband and kids. “The Social Service Section in the hospital is working on a plan to gradually inform the woman about the tragedy at the right time and in the most comforting way.”
The woman is too young and in a bad condition that it is hard to give her more shocks and inform her bad news. “This is very harmful to her health, and thus we have prevented all visits except by the medical staff.” Dr Al Nuaimi added that they are looking for a relative or a friend to stand by her. “For the time being, we tell her that her husband and kids are fine, and can see them when she gets better.”
Short circuit led to fire
According to a Civil Defence source, the blaze was due to a short circuit in the Window AC of the bedroom of the family house attached to a villa where an Emirati family is staying.
“The Central Operations Room of the RAK Police was alerted of the blaze on the Shreisha locality of Jalfar area around 3.30am, and the firefighters rushed to the scene in a record time and managed to put out the flames, in collaboration with the local residents who had dragged the mother to safety in time,” he said. The police are now investigating the cause of the fire and the circumstances that led to the deaths.
