Dubai: Life is slowly getting back to normality at the Sulafa Tower — at least for some residents — after a fire engulfed parts of the skyscraper on Wednesday.
On Friday, more residents moved back into their apartments and cleaners were allowed in. Cleaning was not allowed on Thursday as forensic investigation had not completed.
Around 17 flats in the 75-storey tower in Dubai Marina were affected by the fire, Dubai Police said on Thursday, without specifying the extent of the damage in the flats. From the exterior of the building, many balconies were damaged as fire spread through the external material covering the tower.
On Friday, security personnel and Dubai Police continued to restrict access to residents from the lobby, although they let some hired cleaners in.
Residents living in flats unaffected by the fire were allowed inside the tower on the same night. Those who could sleep in their flats on the first night were allowed to do so, residents told Gulf News. Those whose flats had water or smoke damage were allowed to get some personal belongings for the night.
An Arab resident who lived on the 51st floor visited his flat on Friday morning and came out with luggage.
“It’s all gone,” the tenant said referring to his flat, adding what’s inside his luggage was all that he could salvage from the apartment.
The resident considered himself lucky that he was still on holiday when the incident happened. He said the building management and owners union are helping them.
“They are good people. They are doing their best. They’re trying to help everybody. They will give us a temporary apartment with two bedrooms,” he said.
According to a letter from the Sulafa Tower Management circulated on Thursday, owners who lived in their flats at the time of the fire will be given alternative accommodation for a maximum period of 21 days.
Gulf News repeatedly contacted the Sulafa Tower Management and the Al Sayyah and Sons Investment Co., which lists Sulafa Tower as one of its projects on its website. One representative told Gulf News the management is “not yet allowed to give any information to the media.”
British resident Derek M., who lived on the eighth floor, slept in his apartment on the first night.
“I’ve got bits of debris on my balcony, that’s all. I suppose I’m lucky. I did sleep here on the first night. It was fine,” he said.
Shaimma, who is pregnant and lives on the ninth floor, said the damage in her flat us relatively manageable.
“We were allowed to go and see our apartment. There is water leakage and some debris on the balcony but we can manage. Thank God, the problem is not as bad [as we had expected],” she told Gulf News.
An official from the Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina voluntarily offered help to the fire victims by accommodating between 100 and 130 residents from Wednesday evening to Thursday afternoon in its ballroom.
"The last residents we had left Thursday late afternoon as they had made alternative arrangements either being let back into their apartment or with friends and family. At the moment we have no residents seeking assistance from us."
