A Doha Criminal Court has adjourned to Oct 25, the hearing of the case about an explosion in the laboratory of the branch campus of a foreign university killing one person, local Arabic daily Arrayah reported yesterday.
The explosion of an apparatus, which simulate the work of machines that separate gas from petroleum through air and water, resulted in the death of an Egyptian expatriate lab co-ordinator at Texas A&M University at Qatar.
The court heard the testimony of a number of witnesses.
One witness, who works at the university said that when the explosion took place, the lab in-charge came and calmed the other staff at the scene. Thereafter, he called the police. The witness confirmed that the apparatus was locally-manufactured in the Industrial Area and was subject to very high pressure. The other witness, an expert in the forensic lab, said the apparatus was subject to cold mechanical explosion.
He added that when he reviewed the emails of the victim with the manufacturer of the apparatus, he came across exchanges about cracks that needed repair.
The machine was however tested by the manufacturing company and installed in the lab.
Another email showed that the company tested the apparatus a day before the incident for potential leaks and a non-standard material was applied on it, to stop leaks between its joints. Yet, the machine was exposed to high pressure that led to its explosion, the daily added.
