UAE | General

Residents come together to help JLT fire victims

Massive collection drive initiated to help families left homeless by high-rise blaze

By ANJANA KUMAR, STAFF REPORTER, XPRESS
Published: 23:15 November 21, 2012

Image Credit:
Charred: Tamweel Tower at JLT

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DUBAI: In a city where people claim not to know their neighbours well, Dubai residents have come out in hordes to help those affected by the recent Tamweel tower fire in Jumeirah Lakes Tower (JLT).

Within an hour after the fire erupted at about 1.30am, social networking sites were frantically buzzing with enquiries about the blaze.

Around 8am a resident from the neighbouring Al Seef Tower 2 created an online forum called Tamweel Tower Cluster U. “Let’s gather our effort in helping the Tamweel Tower,” her first post read. Within an hour, she had 110 members.

“I have two small children aged two years and seven months. When we were evacuated in the wee hours of the morning, I had nothing with me. No warm wear, diapers, milk or food. We left with just our pyjamas on. It was cold outside and I realised how important it was for the fire victims to have some basic supplies,” she said.

It didn’t take long before Dubai residents were collecting rugs, toys, diapers, clothes, food packets, flashlights, etc and depositing them at collection points in JLT.

By 9.30am on Sunday, a massive collection drive had taken off across Dubai at various points – Bur Dubai, Dubai Marina, Gardens, Discovery Gardens, Deira, Motor City, Palm Jumeirah, Meadows, Jumeirah, Umm Suqueim.

Ladies and ‘mums’ of various communities started collecting medicines, small eatables and dropping them off at Almas Tower. Two women took the initiative of organising packed meals for displaced families. “We began with light snacks on Sunday but by Monday morning we had started distributing packed meals – breakfast lunch and dinner,” said one lady, who didn’t want to be named.

Other women brought chairs and placed them out below the tower for tired residents.

Meanwhile, JLT residents are also considering an ‘Adopt a Family’ scheme to take up individual families and sponsor their needs. “We would like to target one family a time,” a resident told XPRESS.

“I stay next to Bonnington. If anyone needs help, please let me know,” said a resident in an online post.

“Victims of the fire - in case this is of help to anyone who’s gone roofless, my place is always open (Discovery Gardens),” was another heart-warming post from a Dubai resident.

The compassionate gestures have touched the hearts of Tamweel residents. One displaced resident said: “I would like to thank all the people involved with the stand below Tamweel tower. You ladies were brilliant and provided the residents with things we didn’t know we needed! Water, food, tea, chairs, flashlights (to go see our apartments in the dark). Someone even lent me sneakers to climb up wet stairs!”

Sanjay Thawani of SNS Property Management Solutions and OA Manager for Tamweel Tower said: “Community spirit has been fantastic in JLT in the last couple of days. The ladies and mothers have thought about small things for the victims. This is much appreciated.”

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Added 07:24 November 22, 2012

It is a very sad situation and my heart goes out to all these affected,families, children and all, it is a sad situation to be in, but at the same time it was so good to know there is so much help was given by the community it shows the harmony and friendliness of all the communities in Dubai... i am sure without a doubt the government of Dubai will provide extra help and the situation will be resolved to those affected.. big thank you to all those who voluntreed to assist the affected victims in JLT

Anonymous, dubai, United Kingdom

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