Douse fire hazards with care

The danger of warehouses and factories continuing to be a fire hazard is problematic and should be resolved once and for all. This could not be achieved except through an overall practical and efficient plan that would ensure all such structures follow the safety procedures that have been set.

According to Major General Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, Director of Dubai Civil Defence, a majority of the hazardous warehouses have been given deadlines to rectify their situation or otherwise face fines or closures. "Some 907 out of a total of 1,176 premises inspected by the special civil defence teams in June were found not to be abiding by fire safety standards," he said. Yet given the scale of the fires that had been put out earlier during the year, the standards for safety should be actively pursued and implemented. Safety-related issues should always be treated with immediacy and urgency.