Hotel Worker Admits Candle Caused Fatal Flat Fire

Appearing before the High Criminal Court, the woman pleaded guilty to causing the blaze through negligence and accepted responsibility for the death of her Indian flatmate, who became trapped inside the bathroom as the fire spread through the shared bedroom.

According to prosecutors, the accused arrived in Bahrain on February 23 to work as a hotel receptionist. On March 20, at around 11 a.m., she lit a candle and placed it on a small white wooden table in the bedroom she shared with three other women.

She told investigators that it was customary to leave such candles burning throughout the day. Before leaving the room, she photographed the candle and sent the image to her mother, as she had done on previous occasions.

Around noon, she went to take a shower while the candle remained lit. The victim later entered the bedroom, while the accused moved to the living room to watch television with another flatmate.

At approximately 2.15 p.m., one of the women received a phone call from the victim, who said the room was on fire and that she was trapped in the bathroom.

The women rushed to the bedroom but found the bed engulfed in flames and thick smoke filling the room. The accused told investigators that she froze at the doorway as they heard the victim crying for help but were unable to reach her because of the intense heat and smoke. One of the occupants alerted building security while the others retreated to safety.

A security guard testified that the building's fire alarm sounded at around 2.20 p.m. Upon reaching the fifth floor, he found three women outside the burning apartment, who informed him that another resident remained inside. Emergency services were immediately called, and firefighters extinguished the blaze while paramedics attended the scene.

 The defence requested additional time to review the case documents and prepare its arguments. The court adjourned the case until July 20.