Fire at Al Ain central market and in Abu Dhabi building

Gulf News
Bellevision Media Network

Fire destroys a dozen shops at Al Ain central market

Al Ain, 29 August 2010: An early morning fire destroyed about a dozen shops in the city’s Central Market (Souq Al Markazy) on Saturday, causing substantial damage.

Crews from the Quick Emergency Response units, the fire brigade, and Al Ain police, battled the blaze which took more than two hours to bring under control. Shops destroyed included a restaurant, barber shops, and clothing stores.

Eyewitnesses said the fire started at one shop at about 3:30am, a couple of hours after it closed. The market had been open until 1am due to the holy month of Ramadan.

 

 

No serious injuries

Police from the Technical Rescue and Quick Intervention Section prevented the fire from destroying the entire block of about 100 shops.

There were no reports of serious injuries other than some people who suffered from minor smoke inhalation. Spokesmen for the police and fire brigade said it was not yet clear how the fire started, but investigations were continuing.

Eyewitnesses said people sleeping in the closed shops’ galleries were rescued safely and had not been harmed.

Hundreds of people gathered by the market, which is downtown Al Ain, but were moved to a safe distance by the police. Thick smoke also entered nearby residential buildings, causing breathing problems due to smoke inhalation among some residents.

 

Building fire in Abu Dhabi put out after three-hour effort

Abu Dhabi, 29 August 2010: There was no casualty in a major fire that broke out in an old seven- storey residential building on Airport Road in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, officials told Gulf News.

"There was no casualty but some residents received minor injuries while escaping from the fire", Police officials on the scene said.

Police and fire force extinguished the fire after a three-hour long effort. Four floors of the building and several cars parked under it have been damaged.

The fire broke out in the Awafi Trading building between 3:30 pm and 4 pm, according to the eyewitnesses. The building housing families has only one shop - a furniture showroom on the ground floor. Eyewitnesses said the fire erupted from the shop and flames and thick smoke enveloped the entire building.

 

 

Police and Fire force reached the scene immediately and started the rescue operations.

Most of the residents ran out of the building through the staircase, after hearing the noise outside, the eyewitnesses said.

"I was lying on the bed and my wife was in the kitchen while we heard the noise outside," said Premnath, an Indian who was residing on the second floor of the building. "We ran out of the flat and reached outside safely," he said. "We looked helplessly from outside…my flat was totally getting burned and my new Toyota corolla car parked under the building also got damaged," said Nath who has been living in the building for around five years.

When more fire engines joined the rescue missions, the police blocked one side of the Airport Road. They extinguished the fire by 7 pm.

The officials noted the names of the residents of the building. They said they are trying to help the residents by all means.Abu Dhabi: The major fire that broke out in an old residential building on Airport Road near Fathima Supermarket on Saturday evening was brought under contraol by 7pm.

Police officials on the scene said there was no casualty or injury.

All families living in seven-floor building came out as soon as the fire broke out from the ground floor. But four floors of the building have been damaged and some cars parked near the building have also been damaged.

Fire had erupted from the ground floor and thick smoke and flames enveloped the entire seven-storey building.

The Police and fire force personnel are at the scene trying to control the blaze and they have blocked one side of the road.

The building houses many families, but there has been no information till now of any injuries or casualities.

The fire was brought completely under control by 7pm.