Abu Dhabi: Thirteen people, including 10 Civil Defence personnel, suffered suffocation during a fire that broke out in two high-rise towers under construction in the capital on Tuesday.
The Civil Defence, police and emergency response personnel arrived immediately at the scene and controlled the blaze after evacuating the workers who were trapped inside.
The blaze erupted in the two buildings located in Al Zahiyah area, close to Abu Dhabi Mall, just at 10:50am. Emergency response personnel rushed to the scene, where a number of workers were reported to be trapped inside the building.
Major General Jasem Mohammad Al Marzouqi, Civil Defence General Commander-in-chief, Abu Dhabi, and Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Abdul Jalil Al Ansari, Director General of Abu Dhabi Civil Defence, supervised putting out the blaze personally.
Al Ansari said the teams battled the fire and prevented it from spreading to the nearby residential buildings.
“The investigations are underway to identify the cause of the fire,” he said.
According to onlooker reports, all workers were safely rescued.
An official source told Gulf News at about 1.30pm that no casualties had been reported and that the fire was mostly under control. Authorities also began to disperse residents, and restored traffic flow on most roads.
A worker employed by the building’s private construction contractor said the flames had erupted in one of the higher storeys.
“Thankfully, there are no injuries as far as I know,” he said, as he waited for instructions from his supervisors.
Although contacted by Gulf News, the contractor did not offer any comments on the cause of the fire.
Meanwhile, the Beach Rotana Hotel, which is located next to the affected building, said in a statement to Gulf News that the Abu Dhabi Government had asked them to evacuate the premises until tomorrow (August 31).
