DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — At least 16 people were killed and nine injured in a fire that broke out in an apartment complex in the United Arab Emirates’ old district of Dubai, officials said Sunday. .
A fire on Saturday in the Al Mural neighborhood of Dubai’s historic Deira district hit an apartment believed to be shared by several people. This is known to be a common practice for the workers who sustain the economy of this city-state known for its towering skyscrapers. Cramped compartments separated by improvised barriers can be a great danger in the event of a fire.
The Dubai Civil Defense Statement, issued by the city-state’s news agency, revealed the death toll. Officials did not respond to questions from the Associated Press. Nasir Bhattanapally, a Dubai-based businessman who has volunteered on repatriation issues at the Indian consulate, said AP authorities have listed the dead as six Sudanese, four Indians, three Pakistanis and a Cameroonian. He said he had identified one, one Egyptian and one Jordanian. He said police were working on the paperwork to send the body back to his home country.
On Sunday, traces of char were seen in his five-story apartment, which houses a grocery store, smokehouse and other stores on the first floor. Police yellow crime scene tape sealed off the building, which was also heavily influenced by the police presence. Huge long-haul Emirates Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s flew over an area just 3 kilometers (2 miles) from Dubai International Airport along the flight path.
The man said neighbors believed people were sleeping inside their homes during Ramadan, the typical month of Muslim holy Ramadan when believers refrain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset. .
A Dubai police officer stopped an AP journalist from speaking to a man and asked the reporter to leave the area before telling him his name.
A statement from the Dubai Civil Defense Authority said the fire started on his fourth floor. However, burn marks were seen on the fifth floor where the flames appeared to have blown the glass.
“Following a preliminary investigation, we determined that the cause of the fire was a failure to comply with building safety requirements,” the statement said. “Relevant authorities are conducting a full investigation to provide a detailed report on the cause of the fire.
The description was not detailed. Building management declined to answer questions when contacted by AP, citing an ongoing police investigation. The building’s owner was initially unknown.
In recent years, Dubai has seen a spate of high-rise building fires caused by combustible exterior materials. However, other fires can occur in warehouses and smaller buildings, especially in the summer when temperatures exceed 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit). High winds hit a high of 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit) in Dubai on Saturday.
Illegal subdivisions have been a problem in Dubai for decades, and the problem is exacerbated as the city-state experiences a real estate boom and economic growth as it is today. Authorities have cracked down in the past, but landlords continue to offer separate housing and workers in Africa, Asia and the Middle East are trying to save all their money to send them home.
