16 people have died and 9 injured after a devastating fire tore through an apartment complex in Dubai.
Firefighters rushed to the scene in Al-Ras around noon on Saturday and evacuated the building in six minutes – but were unable to save everyone inside.
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dubai Civil defense said the fire on the fourth floor of the five-story building was caused by failure to comply with the building’s safety and security regulations.
Among the dead were four Indians and three Pakistanis, according to local reports.
A relative of one of the dead told The National: “I was terrified because that was the building my brother was working in. He went up to help and never came back. “
According to the Associated Press, a man who was working nearby heard an explosion that looked like a gas cylinder on fire.
Witnesses believe people may have been sleeping inside at the time as they fasted during the day. ramadan festival.
Rescuers rushed to the scene to try to help but were hindered by thick columns of black smoke.
The blaze was finally extinguished two hours after the blaze killed 16 people and injured nine.
Dubai Civil Defense told United Arab Emirates The National reports that an investigation into the deadly fire is underway.
It says it is important that “residential and commercial building owners and occupants” fully comply with “security and safety requirements and guidelines to avoid accidents and protect the lives of all people.” People”.
The initial cause of the fire has not been determined and no arrests have been made.
The Al-Ras area in the oldest parts of Dubai is located near the gold and spice market of the city, a tourist attraction.
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