DUBAI // A bloody fight between two maids with meat skewers and knives has left one woman dead and another clinging to life in hospital, police said yesterday.
Authorities do not know what caused the fight between the two women, who worked in the same household.
The two, Ethiopians in their early 20s, were found on the floor of their employer's laundry after police broke down a door that was locked from the inside.
Officers received a report of a fight in the Bur Dubai villa at about 11am yesterday, where 12 domestic helpers were employed.
"The two women were both lying in their blood when we broke in," said Brig Khalil Al Mansouri, head of Dubai Police CID.
"They were transferred to hospital but one of them died on the way, while the other was put in the intensive-care unit."
Police identified the dead woman as HSS, while the woman in hospital was FYA. They say HSS was stabbed with a meat skewer to several parts of her body, while FYA was stabbed with a knife.
Police said there was no history of fights between the two.
Other maids told police FYA was always behaving strangely.
"The other maids told us that she was a paranoid person who thought everyone was trying to oppress her," Brig Al Mansouri said.
UPDATE: Maid in critical condition sees her condition improve