At least 16 people were killed and 9 were injured when a fire spread throughout an apartment building in an older neighborhood of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
The Dubai Civil Defence Operations Room was first informed of the fire at 12:35 pm (local time). Within six minutes, a team arrived at the location and started the evacuation and firefighting procedures.
According to preliminary investigations, the spokesperson noted, the fire caused by the failure to keep up with building security and safety regulations. To prepare an accurate report on the accident`s reasons, "relevant authorities are conducting a thorough investigation."
According to a worker in a shop in the building, they heard "a loud bang".
“We couldn’t figure out what was happening for a few minutes. But then we saw smoke and fire coming out of the window.”
"The worker and a few people tried to rush into the building to help people out, but were unable to do anything because of the smoke. “There was smoke everywhere and we could not see anything,” he said. “So we decided to exit the building and wait for the police. Fire engines, firemen and police officers were at the spot within minutes. They brought a crane and started helping people. Their swift action helped save many lives.”
Source: Khaleej Times
