'Wind, liquid chemicals fuelled Al Quoz fire'

Dubai: Motorists bound for Al Quoz complained of long tailbacks after a warehouse caught fire yesterday as police closed service roads.

The road closure also triggered traffic jams in the surrounding areas.

“Since it's a Thursday, most companies were working a half day and many employees were heading home, aggravating the traffic jams,'' said a motorist who was trying to get to Shaikh Zayed Road from Al Quoz.

One worker was hospitalised with severe burns after the fire broke out in the warehouse in Al Quoz Industrial area 3. A firefighter was also injured.

Some 45 firemen battled for over two hours to save lives and material at two warehouses that stored chemicals, paints and thinner at around 11am.

Loud explosion

The cause of the fire and the estimated loss is yet to be established. The fire was put out at 1.30pm.

Thursday's fire was the third in less than two weeks. Three people were killed in the Al Quoz fire on March 26, while the second major fire broke out at the Naif souq on April 2.

Brigadier Rashid T. Al Matroushi, director-general of Dubai Civil Defence said that the liquid chemicals stored at the warehouses were highly combustible.

“Three firefighting units in Dubai collaborated in getting the fire under control.''

Regarding whether the warehouses had taken the stipulated safety measures, the civil defence chief said: “They did take the necessary safety precautions but the liquid chemicals that they stored results in such fires.''

Brigadier Abdul Jaleel Mahdi Mohammad, Deputy Director of the General Department of Preventive Security, who was present at the scene confirmed that one worker had received severe burns.

“The worker received 80 to 90 per cent burns and he has been taken to hospital. There have been no other causalities. An accountant at the warehouse informed us that he heard a loud explosion while he was busy working at his desk in the office. The wind and the liquid chemicals both fuelled the fire. The warehouse belonged to a local trading company,'' said Brigadier Mohammad.

The area leading to the warehouses was immediately cordoned off and traffic diverted to other exit routes by Dubai police, who along with the riot police, were having a tough time controlling onlookers from getting near to the site.

With inputs from Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter