Blaze guts Sharjah warehouse filled with electronics

Sharjah: A huge swathe of black smoke could be seen billowing into the skies high above Sharjah on Thursday afternoon, triggering quick emergency response by firefighters in Sharjah and Dubai.

When firefighters arrived, they were confronted with flames and heavy black smoke in a large warehouse in Sharjah Industrial Area 6.

Wind conditions were brisk enough to carry the smoke high into the sky, alleviating fears of adverse health effects on nearby residents and facilities.

Colonel Sami Khamis Al Naqbi, Director of Sharjah Civil Defence, told Gulf News that authorities received a call for assistance at 12:55pm and firefighting teams responded immediately.

Firefighters battled intense heat and black smoke but soon managed to bring the blaze under control within 35 minutes, said Col Al Naqbi.

No injuries were reported as of press time on Thursday.

The warehouse, he said, was sectioned off into a number of compartmentalised shops designated for selling electronic devices.

Officials said it was too early to determine a cause of the fire but said investigators will probe the remains of the charred warehouse to find the origin of the blaze.