Abu Dhabi: The owner of Baniyas villa that recently caught fire killing eight members of the family will demolish his house and reconstruct it as the family members don’t want to stay in the same place.
The family members say the villa reminds them of the tragedy on October 2 and want to start a fresh life.
Speaking to Gulf News, Ali Badawi Al Kotheiri, the owner of the villa, said, “We are going to demolish the villa and rebuild it as my family doesn’t want to reside there as it takes them back to the tragic day.”
Recounting the ordeal of finding his home in flames when he returned after performing Fajr prayer, Al Kotheiri said, “Now we are living in our relative’s house and I am trying to obtain necessary permits from the municipal authorities to initiate the process of demolition.”
“Eight people of my family died in that villa, it’s not possible to live there until the tragedy fades from our minds,” he said.
On October 2, an early morning blaze ripped through a villa in Baniyas, outskirts of the capital, in which, eight people from an Emirati family were killed including five children and three women.
The house is located in Baniyas, East 7 district, opposite Al Emam Al Nawawi Mosque on the outskirts of the capital.
Baniyas is an old densely populated neighbourhood outside Abu Dhabi where mostly Emiratis reside.
Al Kotheiri further added the family members don’t want to stay in the same hall, bedrooms where they lost their sons and daughters and that’s why we have decided to demolish it and rebuild it with a different design so that it wouldn’t remind them of the incident.
But he said the family would return only after the reconstruction of the villa with new halls, lobby and doors is complete.
Al Kotheri said, “Currently my family is living in my brother and daughter’s house in the same neighbourhood.”
Faulty Cables
Abu Dhabi Police confirmed on October 6 that fire broke out at the villa due to faulty cables and electrical short circuits. It said that investigations proved that cause of the fire was a short circuit in electrical extensions in a corner of the main hall in the villa. The fire had started from there.
Al Kotheiri’s wife was discharged from hospital on October 14.
“On Sunday my wife was discharged from the hospital. Thanks to Allah, she is fine now,” he said.
She was the last person to be discharged; others were discharged a few days after the incident, he said.
