Ajman: Tenants of the fire-hit Ajman One residential cluster said they are expecting to be allowed access to their apartments on Thursday to assess the damage and salvage belongings.
Towers 8 and 6 in the 12-tower complex caught fire on Monday night, injuring around half a dozen residents. Most were treated on site for minor injuries.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze, which spread from Tower 8 to Tower 6, climbing rapidly from lower floors because of strong winds and flammable material used inside the metal cladding on the towers’ façade, officials said on Tuesday.
The affected towers have been cordoned off by authorities for safety and security reasons. Tenants said police officials stationed below the buildings are registering details of the tenants and their belongings so they can be allowed access to their apartments.
Although they have been told they will be called when it’s their turn, a number of tenants turned up on Tuesday and Wednesday to see if they would be allowed back in.
According to tenants, some exceptions were made for tenants “who had left behind everything”.
“A Pakistani woman had rushed out with her children still in diapers. She had nothing on her — no passport, no keys, no purse, and no money; not even clothes for her children. They escorted her to her flat so she could pick up her half-burnt passports,” said Bisma, a Pakistani tenant of Tower 8 who lives on floor 19.
She added she has yet to return to her flat, where she has been living for three years with her three young children.
Two other affected tenants also said they were not allowed access to the towers, adding they were told they would be called on Thursday.
According to the residents, authorities are ensuring the building is dry and safe enough to let people back in to check on their belongings.
“There was a lot of water left over after the firefighting operation. They are also trying to see if the lifts can be safely operational again. I hope so because my flat is on floor 22,” said Abdullah, a Tower 8 tenant.
Indian tenant Dr Shiraz Shaikh said she was also told to wait until she is called on Thursday. The Tower 6 resident is staying with a friend in the meanwhile.
Many affected families have been provided free hotel rooms by Emirates Red Crescent. Others have opted to stay with loved ones or as paid guests at other hotels as they were not aware of the option. A few tenants said they found the hotels full or had to pay lodging charges up front, which staff said would be reimbursed.
