Dubai: A worker who was seriously injured when a scaffolding collapsed on Saturday died yesterday, bringing the death toll in the accident to three.
The incident, which occurred at a building under construction along Dubai-Al Ain Road, is the third this month in which a scaffolding collapsed.
Two of the eight workers who sustained injuries were operated on at Rashid Hospital yesterday.
Gulf News spoke to one of the workers who was operated on and all he could say was: "I'm in pain."
One Bangladeshi worker, who fractured his jawbone, said: "I fell from the eighth floor. It was very very dangerous."
The site engineer and the foreman of the project were arrested in relation to the collapse of the scaffolding.
They will be charged with criminal negligence, according to Brigadier Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, director of the Dubai Police Criminal Investigation Department.
Dubai Police, Dubai Municipality and experts have been investigating the cause of the collapse.
Ruling out earlier reports that strong winds were partly to blame, Brigadier Al Mansouri said the collapse was the result of a failure to properly secure and support the scaffolding.
"The weather had nothing to do with the collapse of the scaffolding," he said.
Gulf News contacted the main contractor, Al Qandeel Contracting, several times seeking comment but was told that they were "busy and could not speak to the media."
Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone Authority (DTMFZA) offiials said investigations are being conducted.
"We offer our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and those affected by the serious incident on the morning of 21 January, when the scaffolding of a building under [the] Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone collapsed on the Dubai-Al Ain Road," the DTMFZA said.
"Relevant authorities in Dubai are currently investigating reasons for the collapse and we are closely working with them in this regard, in line with our stringent environment, health and safety policies that are designed to ensure the safety of individuals at all times."
When contacted, Marwan Abdullah, head of Engineering Supervision at Dubai Municipality, said the building did not fall under the purview of Dubai Municipality.
"We have code of safety procedures in place for buildings in Dubai and the implementation of the practices is also continuously monitored."
