Dubai: Two people were killed and five injured when a huge explosion ripped through a warehouse in Dubai's Al Quoz industrial area on Wednesday.
Three people are also unaccounted for as a result of the fire which sent plumes of black smoke spiralling across Dubai on Wednesday morning.
Three firefighters suffered moderate burns trying to contain the inferno and two passersby were also hurt.
The fire, which started in a warehouse that stored fireworks illegally, soon spread to more than 70 warehouses that stocked a variety of goods, ranging from electrical equipment, clothes, plastic toys and food.
The losses have been estimated at around Dh600 million.
A 29-year-old Filipino died after being hit by a piece of flying shrapnel and another person — still to be identified — was in the warehouse when it exploded.
Dubai police said one person is missing.
A huge mushroom cloud of smoke formed over the city's skyline after the explosion at about 7.15am. Thousands of residents were woken by the huge blast and the trail of smoke was visible to motorists making their way to work all over the city.
Debris from the fire spread across the area, reaching as far as Safa and Jumeirah.
Dubai Civil Defence said illegal fireworks had been stored in the warehouse, hindering the control operation. Firefighters also blamed the presence of flammable materials as a factor contributing to the ferocity of the fire.
The blaze was eventually brought under control by late evening.
Flames covered one square kilometre of the industrial estate.
The UAE armed forces, along with teams from Abu Dhabi Police and Civil Defence personnel from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, and Al Ain, helped Dubai personnel in fighting the fire. The department of Environment, Health and Safety at Jebel Ali also joined the efforts.
Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Director of Dubai Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID), said the owner of the warehouse containing the firecrackers has been detained and is being interrogated.
Al Mazeina said investigations were ongoing to discover how the firecrackers were brought into the country. He said the authorities were waiting for firefighters to complete cooling operations before examining the scene.
The Roads and Transport Authority closed a number of roads around the blast site, leading to huge traffic jams on major arteries including Shaikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road, Muscat Road and Umm Suqueim Road.
Hussain Al Banna, Director of the Right of Way Services Department and head of the emergency team, said: "The road closures were intended to provide easy access for fire engines as well as rescue and ambulance vehicles."
History of disasters
- February 6, 2003: Powerful explosion and fire rip apart three warehouses in Al Qouz. Seven people were killed. Ten others were also injured in the blast said to caused by firecrackers.- March 13: Massive warehouse blaze in Al Quoz, but no one was injured. Some 2,660 barrels of petroleum compounds and 6,500 lumber planks, which were soaked in a highly inflammable liquid were gutted.
- August 9: A fire destroys workshop of a factory in Al Quoz Industrial Area. No injuries reported.
--January 24, 2004: Goods worth over Dh15 million go up in smoke when a massive fire destroyed at least three warehouses in the Al Quoz Industrial Area. No injuries or casualties reported in the incident
--May 2: Fire guts two warehouses in Al Quoz Industrial area, causing more than Dh10 million in damage.
--April 1, 2007: Fire guts a warehouse and three others partly burn down. No injuries were reported. The fire broke out in a warehouse which stocked paint and construction materials and spread to the surrounding warehouses.
--March 18: Huge blaze breaks out at a site for recycling paper in Al Quoz Industrial area number 3 behind Al Ghurair University. No injuries were reported in the fire.
Your comments
No comments about health risks, nobody got warned to close windows and stay inside their houses! These toxins spread in the air and are definitely dangerous, but again no warning to the residents is irresponsible.
Rania
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 17:48
When I left Emirates Road to go to school my driver spotted a dark cloud. When we went further we saw more of it coming. For some time I thought it was the Jumeriah Beach Hotel but when we crossed a bridge I saw that it was coming from the Al Qouz area. From there it looked like a tornado, after school I heard the radio and they said that it was an explosion.
Gurmeet
Dubai,,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 17:42
I was asleep at the time the explosion happened. I went to school, noticing black clouds of smoke filling the sky. At school, people thought it was terrorist activity, or World War 3. The sight was terrifying and the sky looked as if there was going to be a severe thunderstorm. I am hoping this will never happen again, because when I saw the picture of the explosion it looked like a nuclear bomb.
Frederic
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 17:40
I saw the smoke when I was coming out of Sindhaga tunnel and I got worried. When I came to my office I got to know it was an explosion. Its sad that such a distressing thing should happen just two weeks after the major car pile up in the Abu Dhabi to Dubai road. Its sad to think that again somebody would have lost a loved one, friend or relative.
Vidya
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 13:26
I just finished my breakfast and was getting ready to go to work in my room, suddenly I heard a very big explosion and felt that the fire came inside my room. My camp is very near to the explosion area so the very dense smoke is over my camp.
Nabin
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 13:26
At 9am when I dropped my 3-year-old daughter at her nursery in Umm Sequim, the black cloud was billowing just across Shaikh Zayed Road and the nursery was under a cloud. I wondered whether it would affect all the kids in the nursery. My chest was burning slightly after standing under the cloud for a couple of minutes. At 11.30am I got a call from the nursery that they were evacuating the nursery. I went back and took her home. In between I was stuck in huge traffic jams inside Al Quoz and with our office in Al Quoz and have been criss-crossing the black and brown cloud many time. Now at 1pm I have a headache, nasuea, chest burn and am not feeling good at all. Surprisingly the smoke has no smell but a hell of an effect on your well being. Be careful!!
Arun
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 13:24
In the morning at around 7:20 I was on my way to school, when I saw this white mushroom in front of me while we stopped at a red light. Then I got into school where people were panicking, saying it was terrorists or an earthquake. We had our science lesson, where now the school was covered in black it was terrifying. Then we went to our Arabic lesson, where halfway through we had to go to take our school photos but we went downstairs to go to the other side of the building (outside) and this sheet of black stopped us. Finally a teacher ran across the corridor saying EVACUATE, then we packed up and went into the sports hall.
Sabrine
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 13:15
We have been asked to retrieve our children from school (Regent) but no reason was given. Is it linked to the smoke cloud? Is it toxic? Can't we have more information from Gulf News on this?
Ben
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 12:48
I was driving to work on emirates road heading towards the Nad Al Sheba big roundabout when I saw the black smoke from miles away, I thought the bush was on fire in the desert not until I drove closer to MOE and what it looked liked was the Chernobyl disaster!
Will
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 12:48
It was 7:10 in the morning when the blast took place. I thought, someone might have misrigged the container on the ground. Immediately ran out to see if any accident took place outside the our yard. There was big balloon like dense white smoke due to explosion initially, which turned out into thick and black smoke which was due to heavy fire. Hope nobody got hurt in this incident and pray for the speedy recovery for those trapped in this gruesome incident this morning.
Nagarajan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 12:41
Today at around 7.30 am as we were getting ready to go to the office, me and my friends heard a explosion, it was a massive explosion similar like a volcano eruption, like an earthquake.
Santosh
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 12:34
Our office is near the 3rd interchange behind the Home Center. The moment we reached our office in the morning, I saw lots of smoke, some of our staff felt suffocation, our office declared a holiday.
Ibrahim
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 12:33
This morning, I just arrived to my office and had my breakfast when I heard a big sound, I didn't mind at all because I did not see any commotion in my area. I didn't hear fire alarms or see firemen go by. Yet, after some time I saw the huge smoke covering the Al Quoz area.
Nadine
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 12:30
Taking the health aspect into consideration, some companies in the vicinity of the place where the fire broke out have declared holiday for their staff.
Asha
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 12:30
We live next to Safa Park. There was a loud explosion at 7am and pieces of cardboard and debris landed in our garden. There was a thick, black cloud hanging over our house and the air still smells of gas and smoke.
Mehreen
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 12:25
I was sitting outside reading the newspaper when the explosion went off. I felt the ground shake a bit. My heart was pounding. Then I saw a thick black cloud appearing. My family and I were all scared and rushed to see what the loud noise was, only to see smoke rushing from across the highway.
Azmir
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 12:23
I was in my house when at 7.12am I heard a loud explosion. My first thought was that it was an explosion at a firework factory in Al Quoz. And I was right.
Paul
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 11:34
Our warehouse is about 1.5 kilometres away from the explosion, near the Times Square Centre. The whole steel structure shook like a shockwave. Many people came running out.
Hisham
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 11:32
I was walking in the road when I suddenly heard a very loud explosion that made me shiver with the thoughts of a new war, or I thought somebody was attacking this country which is so precious to me. Suddenly all people staying in different accommodations went out to the streets and simultaneously started talking like a herds of quacking ducks, obviously not listening to each other but keeping on talking while looking at a clouds similar to a nuclear bomb explosion.
Alex
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 10:57
The white mushroom cloud turning thick black was a scary sight seen all over Dubai. Worse was the sight of police cars and ambulances trying to weave through the morning rush on Shaikh Zayed Road. I knew a disaster had happened.
Daoud
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 10:56
It looked like a volcano had just erupted. Huge clouds of black smoke could be seen from as far as Emirates Road, from where I viewed this scene. Kind of hard to miss from any angle actually.
Sam
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 10:55
It was around 7:20am when I heard the blast on Al Khail Road near the Al Quoz roundabout, while on my way to work towards Jebel Ali. The sound was like a bomb blast for which I thought a trailer/tanker must have coiled, but when I turned back a huge smoke could be clearly noted, which was flowing in the sky until I reached my destination at Interchange 5. Such blasts are normally seen in movies, but this time it was real.
Sayed
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 10:54
I was sleeping at my home in Umm Suqeim, when my bedroom windows trembled. I thought it was an earthquake but my bed was not vibrating. So I thought it was an explosion or a building nearby had collapsed. I went out to my porch and saw a huge black cloud in the Al Quoz Area. The scene was quite terrifying.
Zafar
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 10:48
I was on my way to the office. I was sleeping inside the bus and I could hear people shouting but still I remained sleeping. The shouting became louder and louder so I opened my eyes and saw the fire from my window. The fire was so huge, enveloping everything with thick, black air. I was trapped in the traffic for more than an hour, this is a terrible experience. I hope nobody was hurt or will be hurt.
F
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 10:16
This is really sad news. Our company's labourers thought it was an earthquake. They were really scared.
Yasodha
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 10:11
I witnessed the explosion while coming to my office near Nad Al Sheba. First sight was frightening and the sound followed some time later. Instead of taking a photo, I picked my cell phone to call the police on 999, but my first call was not answered. After some minutes, the police called me back to check why I was calling them. The black smoke followed the initial white smoke and after the first major explosion, I continued to hear minor explosions for almost five minutes.
Syed
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 10:06
I live in the Barsha area next to MOE, it was exactly 7.09am, as my kids had just closed the door on their way to school when I heard that sound. I could not understand where it was coming from, I thought it was coming from our building!
Hazem
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 10:02
We heard the sound of a massive explosion in the morning and it felt like an earthquake, and the windows and glass of the building were trembling. Then we saw very heavy, dark smoke rising up in the air and it was spreading all around. Everybody was very anxious and the atmosphere became very distressed immediately on seeing continuous police sirens, ambulances and fire engines hastening to the place.
Deepa
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 10:00
I saw the rising smoke right when I started from my home at Al Rashidya. It seemed from there that it was arising from Al Khail road. But as soon as I reached closer, the sky was covered with large, thick clouds of smoke and it was quite terrifying.
Abdul
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:57
I also live in the Al Quoz residential area. At 7.15am I heard an explosion and the first thing I thought was: 'Now the war comes to Dubai'. I ran out and checked and I saw the black dust. I was afraid because I didn't know what had happened. I checked the news but nothing, until now when I read about it here! In our garden is trash and burned paper, my whole room was shaking, it was terrible! It felt like a bomb exploded beside our house.
Lorena
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:51
I was driving my car, suddenly I felt like something hit the back of my car. I thought it may be some tyre or similar. I immediately stopped my car in the hard shoulder to check what had happened. There was many other people also inspecting their vehicles to see what had happened. Later on the radio, I heard that there was a fire nearby. It was the explosion which shook the car.
Santhosh
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:50
I was driving in Al Quoz, where I work, at 7.30am, and felt the explosion but I thought that someone had hit my car from behind, and suddenly I noticed the fire, which looked like a nuclear bomb mushroom! The smoke was white first, and I could hear the sound of some fireworks.
Alexander
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:43
I was in my room when the explosion happened. The floor was shaking. It felt like a bomb had just exploded. After the huge explosion, a series of small explosions occurred. It was an unforgettably scary experience.
John
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:42
I was in my office in the morning, then my office shook. I think that the roof of my office collapsed. I immediately went out from my office with my colleagues and on reaching the road we saw a black cloud and continuous sound of blasts. It is a shocking experience.
Zia
Dubai,YAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:40
I was with my dogs in the garden and felt, as well as heard, this almighty explosion followed by what sounded like fire crackers. The dogs were going crazy and I just thought it must be a bomb.
Joanne
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:38
I was in the bathroom and had just finished my shower when I heard a big explosion that made the shower rod and curtain fall. I thought that it was just thunder and that a big rain would be coming to end the winter season and start the summer season. When I went out of the house this large black smoke welcomed me. Then I realised that what I heard was an explosion from one of the factories in Al Quoz. I hope nobody was hurt during that explosion.
Jaanhere
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:38
I was getting ready for work when suddenly I heard a loud explosion. The windows and the camp shook like someone had blasted below or beside my camp. When I came out of the camp I could see thick black smoke with huge black particles coming down. My camp was about 100 metres away from the explosion.
Asif
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:36
I live in Al Quoz near the Iranian clinic next to Quoz park. I woke up from the explosion at around 7.15am. The windows of my balcony shook and I found my car full of smoke too.
Anissa
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:36
Around 7.15am my wife and I were at home in Umm Suqueim, not too far from the Mall of the Emirates, when suddenly we heard a massive explosion followed by a booming sound. Within minutes we looked out of our window and saw a huge cloud of smoke bellowing out from Al Quoz industrial estate, probably as far as 10 kilometres from us.
George
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:32
My bed shook at the time of the explosion and all the dust stored in the roof came inside the office.
Gabriel
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:32
I was on my way to school when I saw a small, white cloud shooting into the air followed by an even bigger cloud of black smoke which covered the surrounding areas. I saw the smoke coming out of a factory or warehouse. People in the school said that they felt it and saw the windows shake.
Kartik
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:31
I live almost a mile away from where the explosion occurred, it shook my windows and doors, I thought it was a slight earthquake. I just ran outside and saw huge black smoke high in the sky. Even the particles were falling this far.
Khalil
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:19
I was on my way out the door when the explosion happened, my windows started shaking and the explosion knocked me back in my step. I ran outside and saw the giant cloud already forming. About five minutes later, black smoke started billowing up through the cloud.
Hannah
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:13
I live in Arabian Ranches and was home when the front door rattled around 7.20am. When I saw the smoke later in the morning it occurred to me that the door rattled from a blast/shockwave like I have felt many times in Iraq. Now I have read your story and confirmed there was a blast. It must have been a huge explosion to send a shockwave all this way.
Mark
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:11
The fire burst just in front of our office. Our security man said that first he saw a globe-like thing, just like firecrackers bursting into the air and then the fire was exploding. The whole building was shaking. All our workers were in a panic.
Mily
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:09
I live at Interchange 3 on Shaikh Zayed Road. At about 7.20am the whole house shook with a massive shockwave. My wife and kids screamed, thinking the house had collapsed. I immediately went to look out the window, where I saw a massive mushroom cloud climbing into the sky over Al Quoz. My wife then said that she could hear what sounded like gunfire and, sure enough, we could hear smaller popping sounds which went on for quite a while. Meanwhile, the thick column of smoke grew larger and larger.
John
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:07
At about 7.15am I heard this huge explosion, then seconds later I heard another rumble, which must have been the echo off the Burj Al Arab.
Tony
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:05
It woke me up shaking all of the windows really loudly and then we saw an enormous mushroom cloud coming up above Al Quoz. A couple of minutes later we heard ongoing banging noises and saw really dark smoke.
Kathy
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 09:00
I live about 5-6 kilometres away from where the fire occurred. When I stepped out of my house to head for work there was black soot in the villa compound. When I headed to where my car was parked close by, it was covered in soot and I thought my car wasn't as clean as usual. When I looked up I saw this great plume of black smoke and actually there was ash still raining around with a few explosions going off. Fortunately the place I work at is the opposite direction to the regular flow of traffic and as I was driving by it was utter chaos (or actually not chaos, but just frustration and desperation) for traffic headed towards Al Quoz and Jebel Ali.
Lawrence
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 08:59
I was sitting in my kitchen when the explosion went off. It rattled my house quite badly, making dirt and dust fall off some of my windows. I live right next to Al Manara, so I was semi-close to the explosion. My family and I were all scared and rushed to see what the loud noise was, only to see smoke rushing from across the highway.
Shaun
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 26, 2008, 08:55
