Mother drops children from fire-stricken flat

Sharjah: Police are investigating an incident in which a mother hurled her two children ages three and five from the eighth floor of a building to save them from a fire.

The three-year-old boy died and her other son is fighting for his life in hospital. The mother, who was rescued by construction workers using a crane, suffered severe burns on her back and hands.

Hospital officials confirmed that one child had died, the other boy suffered multiple fractures and his mother was badly burnt.

The incident took place at 3.50pm when a fire broke in flat No. 802 in a new building opposite the Sharjah Rotana hotel.

The Pakistani mother, gripped by panic, hurled both boys from her bedroom window. The woman stood on the window ledge and was rescued by labourers from a nearby construction site who manoeuvred their crane to the eighth floor and lowered her to safety.

Sandeep Haridas, an Indian who lives in the same building, said he saw smoke coming out of the flat.

"I saw a lady standing on the window ledge holding a child. People had gathered on the street below and were standing in a catching position just in case she dropped the child," he said.

Workers' help

"The fire was becoming worse, and the woman dropped the child which hit the pavement, killing him instantly."

He said people immediately rushed to get a carpet, anticipating the fall of the other boy. "The second child was also hurled ... but he hit the carpet and landed on the road."

As the fire raged, the woman found it increasingly difficult to stay on the ledge, the eyewitness said.

"Construction workers from a nearby site got a crane which they hoisted to the eighth floor. A wooden platform carrying a worker was attached to the crane. He went up and brought her down," Haridas said

Civil Defence later brought the fire under control. Police are investigating the incident.