ABU DHABI – At least 16 people, including three Pakistanis, have died while nearly a dozen others suffered injuries in a huge blaze that ripped through a residential building in Dubai’s Deira today.
Reports quoting local social worker suggest that four Indians, three Pakistani cousins, and a Nigerian woman were among the deceased while Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not commented on the matter till Sunday afternoon.
Reports in international media suggest that the inferno started on the fourth floor of the building. Rescue officials get notified about the flames at nearly 12:35 pm. Firefighters and medical staff rushed to the building and started evacuation and dousing the inferno. The fire was brought under control in nearly two hours after which the cooling operations were started.
Meanwhile, early investigations suggest that a lack of compliance with building security and safety requirements caused the combustion, while a detailed report on the causes of the accident is yet to be shared.
Clips doing rounds online show huge flames billowing out of the residential building.
The United Arab Emirates is known for strict measures for materials used in the exterior cladding of buildings and safety exits.