On Monday night, flames swept up the side of a residential tower in Ajman, leaving 350 people in search of alternative accommodation. For now, most of those left homeless are being housed free of charge in local hotels. For these unfortunate residents, they now face the daunting task of trying to rebuild their lives and replace their possessions. At least there was no loss of life and the injuries that did occur were relatively minor.

Firefighters from all seven emirates were on the scene to ensure that the blaze was limited and injuries were few. And, as was the case with the fire that swept through The Address in Downtown Dubai on New Year’s Eve, the professionalism and expertise of emergency service workers and firefighters show the high level of training and state of preparedness in dealing with such fires.

The problem, though, is that these high-rise fires seem to be happening all too often and whether it be towers in Sharjah, Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Downtown Dubai or now in Ajman, residents have managed to escape largely unscathed.

What is alarming is that these high-rises — once a fire breaks out — seem to go up in flames with ease. In the case of Monday’s fire, winds fanned the flames, allowing them to spread, and authorities will point to that factor in the severity of the blaze. Sadly, though, winds are a fact of life and winds alone are not responsible for the spread of the flames.

Not for the first time — and when these high-rise fires do occur — questions are asked about the quality of the cladding used to finish these buildings. Is the quality of the product sufficiently fire-retardant or fire-resistant to prevent the quick spread of flames? In addition, is the black insulation paint used to provide an element of cooling also flame-retardant and flame-resistant? Is the spacing between the tiles themselves and the walls to which they are fixed a factor when it comes to the spread of fire? These are questions that need to be addressed by those who plan towers, build them, inspect them and sell the materials that are used in the construction process.

Every step needs to be taken by authorities at all levels of government to ensure that a modern and effective fire code encompasses the issue of cladding, its quality and its fire-resistance properties.

The fires so far, where cladding may have been an issue, provide ample examples to learn from. Let’s not waste these opportunities now.