Candle Fire Kills Roommate, Woman Jailed

21-year-old sentenced to one year and ordered deported after serving sentence

TDT | Manama

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The High Criminal Court sentenced a 21-year-old Asian woman to one year in prison and ordered her permanent deportation after she completed her sentence for accidentally causing the death of her roommate in a residential fire.

The incident occurred on March 20, 2026, after the woman lit a candle during religious prayer and left it burning on a small wooden table in the bedroom of their company-owned apartment.

The candle is believed to have ignited the table and nearby items, causing the fire to spread through the room. The victim was trapped inside as flames and thick smoke prevented the other women from reaching her.

The defendant told investigators she normally left the candle burning throughout the day and admitted she did not place it on a plate despite knowing the table was wooden.

Security guards and emergency services were alerted after the fire alarm sounded around 2:20 p.m. Firefighters extinguished the blaze, and the victim was taken to the hospital, where she later died.

A Crime Scene Department report concluded that the fire was likely caused by leaving a burning heat source on the wooden table. The defendant admitted the charges and accepted responsibility for the death.