Dubai: Sixteen people, including three Pakistanis were killed and nine were injured in Dubai residential building fire on Saturday, local media said. Fire engulfed five-storey building in Al-Ras neighbourhood, one of oldest parts of Dubai and home to many migrant workers and traders on Saturday afternoon, according to Abu Dhabi-based newspaper The National.

Local media said fire had been put out. “Preliminary investigations showed that lack of compliance with building security and safety requirements caused fire” National said citing civil defence statement. Naseer Vatanappally, an Indian social worker who was at Dubai Police mortuary to help identify victims on Saturday night told  Khaleej Times that 12 out of 16 people who died have been identified, including four Sudanese nationals, three Pakistani cousins, four Indians and one Cameroon national. “Relatives, friends and colleagues of these 12 people came through night to identify them,” Khaleej Times quoted him as saying.

Terming it to be “Heartbreaking process”, he added, “I went home at 5am but had to return because I was central point of contact for everyone coming.” Foreign Office has yet to issue statement confirming deaths.

Published in The Daily National Courier, April, 17 2023

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