Abu Dhabi: The building which caught fire in Musaffah killing 10 people and injuring eight others on Friday was ill-equipped and fell short of a number of safety standards including the lack of an emergency exit, Civil Defence officials said.

Initially designed to be used as a warehouse, the mezzanine floor was being occupied by workers as a place of residence, separated by wooden partitions. Therefore, the 10 people killed were all asleep on the upper floor as the fire engulfed the ground level of the building.

“If you find yourself trapped in a scenario like this with no fire exit, it’s best not to throw yourself out the window but to head to the nearest roof. However, from my understanding, the building did not even have a roof for the victims to seek refuge in,” said Captain Abdullah Al Tamimi, head of Media and Public Relations at the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence.

“Additionally, the building is very, very old, was ill-equipped without even the most basic firefighting equipment. Owners must renew certificates of approval from the Civil Defence every year. These ensure that the building is safe to be used. Safety equipment varies from one building to another, therefore it is vital that inspectors visit these structures to ensure that everything is in order in case of an emergency so that casualties can be avoided,” the official added.

According to the Civil Defence website, safety requirements for factories and warehouses in industrial areas include ventilation systems, emergency lights and direction signs that indicate what procedures to follow in case of an emergency.

Emergency exits are mandatory and first-aid kits, non-slippery floors and anti-leakage handling devices are also required.

Police reported that the fire broke out at about 3.44am on Friday morning. According to nearby workers in the area, the service road surrounding the burnt structure is used as a parking area in the evening. This led to the burning of at least two vehicles parked outside the building.

Witnesses also say that a cleaning crew was sent to the stores in the building on Thursday to wipe down the floors. “This could have caused some of the water to leak into the electric sockets,” Qaisar, an electrician working nearby, said.

He confirmed that at least one Syrian and one Pakistani had died.