Six dead, seven injured in villa fire in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: Six people have died and seven others injured in a fire that occurred at a house in Abu Dhabi today, the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority has confirmed.

Of the injured, two have suffered serious injuries while five have moderate injuries.

The fire occurred at a two-storey house in Al Moazez locality of Bani Yas area of Abu Dhabi, the authorities said.

Among the deceased are three sisters - Fatima M.H, Sheikha M.H, and Mona M.H - and a child named Khaled A.K.H, who is from the same family.

The family members were sleeping when the fire broke out in the early morning.

The funeral prayer was held for the deceased this afternoon, and they were buried in the Bani Yas cemetery. The family receives condolences from the men and women in Al Falah area.

The authority said Civil Defence teams controlled the fire after the operations room received a report stating that a fire accident had occurred in a house in the area.

Rescue teams, which rushed to the area, evacuated the building, even as they began to douse the flames and administered first aid to the injured. The seriously injured were moved to hospital.

The authority extended its sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the deceased, asking the Almighty to grant them mercy. It also wished the injured a speedy recovery.

The authority said investigations are still underway to find out the cause of the fire.

The public have been urged to rely only on official information about the incident, and to avoid spreading or circulating rumours.

Safety warning

In October 2018, eight Emirati family members, including five children, had died and a ninth sustained moderate injuries after a fire broke out in their home in Bani Yas.

The Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority warns the owners of houses, factories, commercial establishments, and private or rented residences against negligence in the use of electrical appliances.

Failure to follow the safety rules can cause fires, it added.

The Authority stressed the need to adhere to safety instructions and requirements, and to avoid installing random electrical connections, while emphasising the need to carry out maintenance for electrical appliances only by certified technicians.

Awareness campaigns

Under federal laws, the UAE authorities have launched many initiatives to raise residents’ fire safety awareness. Earlier this month, the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority launched a field survey to ensure safety measures are in place in buildings, homes and facilities. The owners of buildings were required to install and distribute smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in these facilities.