Landlords and tenants could be billed for fires

Sharjah: The cost of putting out a fire might henceforth have to be borne by landlords and tenants, a civil defence official told the Sharjah Consultative Council last week.

With the civil defence authorities struggling with a lack of resources coupled with the rising incidence of fires, a study is now underway to ascertain whether such a cost-sharing measure is feasible, said Brig-adier Mohammad Salem Bin Kardous Al Amiri, the head of Civil Defence in the Ministry of Interior.

"We have 177 firemen and 15 inspectors in Sharjah," he said. Brig Al Amiri warned that the Sharjah industrial area is a "time bomb" and urged harsher penalties for those who break safety rules.

"What do you get now is a warning and a Dh500 fine? That's just not enough," he said.