Car fire burns victim Ghazal is finally out of Oman hospital

Muscat: Giving a big thumbs-up in bed as her brother smiles beside her, little car fire burns victim Ghazal is finally out of hospital and home with her family.
Wearing bright pink lipstick and make-up to hide the scars that cover 75 per cent of her tiny body, Ghazal Sulaiman wants just one thing – to recover quickly so she can play with her schoolmates.
Ghazal and her brother Suleiman were pulled from their burning family car at a Sur filling station on August 24 after their father had gone to buy groceries.
Tragically, it was their father’s lighter that sparked the flames inside the vehicle.
His children found the discarded lighter in the back of the car and a seemingly empty plastic bottle that had been used to store fuel.
The fire inside the car left both children with horrific burn injuries after an Omani hero pulled them from the burning car with his bare hands.
Now, sitting up in bed, wearing ear-rings, make-up and looking like a little princess, Ghazal said: “I left the hospital and came home. My dad will treat me. I hope I get better soon so I can see my friends at school.”
Her mum added: “Thank God she is okay. God was testing our patience and I send my gratitude to all who stood by us.”
Ghazal may be home, but her battle is only just beginning, with skin graft operations planned for at least a year. Medical bills for her treatment so far stand at OMR14,000 and her father had no insurance.
In August 2016, Ghazal and her brother Suleiman suffered severe burns in the car fire but three-year-old Suleiman quickly recovered. Ghazal was given a 10 percent chance to live by doctors and she proved them wrong. 75 per cent of her body was burned.
Dad Mohammad said that she had been discharged a few days ago and that she is well and healthy, but will have to undergo plastic surgery to repair the deformities the burns have caused.
“She will go through plastic surgery for a year. She also has two deformed fingers which had been split, so she will have to undergo surgery to fix them,” explained Mohammad.
Ghazal has spent the past three and a half months in Khoula Hospital’s burns unit and was discharged a few days ago.
Mohammad explained that she was jubilant to be back home after spending a long time in a hospital bed.
Check-up
“We had to take her to the hospital for a check-up a couple of days ago and she was actually afraid to go back thinking that she will spend more time there,” he said.
When asked about the condition of her brother Suleiman, who also had third degree burns, he said that he is living a normal life again. Mohammad explained that Ghazal’s face and chest have cleared up but scars remain from the burns. Her arms and lower body are severely damaged.
“She was self conscious about how she looked, so her mom applies some make-up to raise her confidence a little,” her dad said.
“I appreciate and thank everyone, from my Omani brothers and sisters, who stood beside us all this time and provided us with moral and financial support,” he added humbly, adding: “PACDA said that the fire was caused by the children playing with the lighter and if I could go back in time, I wouldn’t have a lighter in the car, and I advise all parents against leaving them in the car with children.
“Ghazal proved to be the strongest girl in this world. I and my family went through the hardest time in our lives. Our lesson is tough enough for other parents to avoid doing the same as I did,” he added.