Residents of Sharjah tower return home

Sharjah: Residents of Al Nasser Tower, which was partially burnt in a blaze on October 1, returned home after two months living without a proper home.

More than 250 families were affected by the fire after the 34-storey building was shut down by Sharjah Civil Defence following the blaze.

Most of the residents were accommodated in hotels, initially paid for by Emirates Red Crescent and later by Al Nasser Tower management.

At least a dozen apartments were gutted when a fire broke out at the residential tower on King Faisal Street on October 1. The fire, the cause of which is still not known, also gutted several vehicles that were parked near the building.

The gutted flats have not been repaired yet and remain closed, while repair work on the exterior of the building is still ongoing.

According to the building’s management, the residents of the flats that have still not been repaired have a choice of cancelling the contract or opting for another flat in the same building.

“Half of the tenants, whose flats were completely burnt, have already gone to another building. As for the rest of the tenants, it is up to them what they want to do. They are free to leave or opt for another flat in this building,” said a spokesperson for the building’s management.

He added that if the tenants opt to leave, the management will refund the money that has been encashed through cheques after October 1.

He said that the building has been equipped with all the necessary emergency equipment, including a fire alarm, sprinklers and fire extinguishers, following which the Sharjah Civil Defence made an inspection and granted permission to let tenants in.

According to a report issued earlier by the Sharjah Civil Defence, the building lacked an emergency alarm system, which meant residents were caught unawares when the fire broke out.

The report also said that the firefighting equipment available in the building didn’t work, which made containing the fire difficult.

Dozens of residents checked out from their hotel rooms on Tuesday and were eager to go back home.

“It’s great to be back home. There is nothing like being in your home. We were living like travellers for two months and obviously it was not comfortable. But, thankfully, the trouble is over,” Syed Shehab, who rents an apartment on the second floor, said.

Another resident, Mohammad, who has an apartment on the 22nd floor, said: “I think the management has done a good job with the renovation. I like the fact that the building is emergency-ready now and Civil Defence has approved the building as safe. Happy to be back.”

Entrance to the building’s car park is still closed as repair work continues.