Five injured in Duhok gas explosion and separate ordnance incident

DUHOK, Iraq — A gas cylinder fire at a house in the Kelek subdistrict of Duhok governorate left the homeowner, two children and a neighbor who came to help with burn injuries, local authorities said. The four were taken to Shaykhan Hospital, where medical staff reported their condition as stable and said none faced life-threatening injuries. In a separate incident the same day, a quarry worker sustained minor injuries after handling old munitions dating to the 1980s, according to local officials. Rikar Bisewki, spokesperson for the Duhok Mine Action Department, said the ordnance had been found buried in the soil and that one of three unexploded pieces had detonated. The remaining two pieces are to be moved to a safe area and neutralized, Bisewki said. The spokesperson urged residents not to touch suspicious objects and to report any findings to authorities through the 182 hotline.