Ajman: A committee formed by Shaikh Ammar Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman and Chairman of the Executive Council, has been given a week to come up with answers as to how and why residents were exposed to suspected water contamination at a cluster of residential tower blocks in Ajman over the weekend.
The committee — made up of government departments, members of the General Command of Ajman Police, Municipality and Planning Departments, Ajman Medical District and the Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Centre in Ajman — has one week to submit a detailed report to establish what happened.
Meanwhile, residents continued to fall sick for a fifth day on Monday as the aftermath of a suspected toxic chemical contamination in the water over the weekend continued.
Part of the report will be to ensure such an incident is not repeated.
Shaikh Ammar stressed the need to provide a healthy environment for residents of the emirate and suggested the committee include experts to ensure corrective measures were put in place.
Shaikh Ammar also ensured tenants would receive water from an alternative source until the issue was resolved. Major General Shaikh Sultan Bin Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Commander in Chief of Ajman Police and head of the local emergency and crisis management team in Ajman, also visited patients in hospital on Monday.
The team included Abdullah Ebrahim Abu Al Shawarab, Director of the National Coordination and Response Centre in Ajman, Dr Amal Hamid Al Suwaidi, Director of the Preventive Medicine Department, Lieutenant Colonel Saeed Khalifa Al Ketbi, Director of Al Madinah Police Station, and Major Abdullah Al Shaibah, Acting Director of Al Nuaimyah Comprehensive Police Station,
We have taken 80 samples of water and analysed them and have found the water to contain a mix of microbes and a ratio of ammonium.
Members of the delegation spoke to doctors about the condition of patients, and discussed the results of laboratory tests, before wishing them a speedy recovery.
Shaikh Ammar has set up an office in the residential tower to follow up on the needs of residents. The Crown Prince also ordered an ambulance to be on standby at the building in case more people fell sick.
Residents could be seen listing their complaints to police on Monday when Gulf News went to visit the building. An ambulance was also parked outside. Residents told Gulf News they had been told by building management that there was a crack in the ground tank which led to sewage getting into the water tank.
A management representative said they were still awaiting authority’s reports.
Ajman Police said 190 people have sought medical treatment at various hospitals across Ajman and Sharjah so far.
Barring seven people, the rest have been discharged. Those still in hospital have high fever but are expected to be discharged soon.
Engineer Abdullah Al Timimi, director of the Public Health Department at Ajman Municipality and Planning Department, said the water tank had been contaminated with sewage.
“We have taken 80 samples of water and analysed them and have found the water to contain a mix of microbes and a ratio of ammonium.”
