Dubai: A heroic and selfless act by a concerned neighbour helped prevent a tragedy in Ras Al Khaimah.
The incident happened last Sunday, when the operations room at Ras Al Khaimah Civil Defence were notified about a house fire.
Following routine procedure, a team of firefighters and an ambulance were then dispatched to the scene in order to carry out a quick rescue operation.
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It was only a few moments later when the operations room received yet another call from the home-owner, with the good news that a kind neighbour had already helped put out the fire with the few pieces of fire safety equipment she had.
First Officer Mustafa Al Balushi, a neighbour employed at Ras Al Khaimah’s Civil Defence, was able to douse the flames before it extended to other locations in the house.
The female home-owner explained that the First Officer lived near her home, and had rushed to her aide a few moments after she called Civil Defence.
First Officer Al Balushi quickly spotted that the fire had started from the electrical switchboard, and with the equipment available on hand, managed to immediately control the situation and extinguish the fire.
The Civil Defence Department applauded the efforts of First Officer Al Balushi for saving the woman’s life and preventing the fire from developing into a tragic incident.
How to prevent home fires
1. Keep fire extinguishers within reach and educate your older children and other family members on how and when to use them.
2. Ensure all flammable substances are kept away from children’s reach.
3. Install smoke alarms.
4. Use fire-resistant carpets and rugs across the house.
5. Never overload power sockets and if wires are frayed or damaged, employ safe practices while connecting appliances.
6. Switch off all your power appliances from sockets, or unplug cables and extension cables, every night before going to bed.
7. Keep candles away from curtains, carpets and any flammable materials.
Source: Dubai Municipality
