Families in fire-ravaged Al Tayer building face homeless night out

Most of these families would never have imagined they would be spending nights in a community tent in the UAE.

A tent with no AC and that too just as the weather is turning hot and humid.

Residents of nearly 400 flats from the 34-storied (plus six floors for parking) Al Tayer Tower in the Al Nahda area of Sharjah, that partially went up in flames on Saturday morning have no choice.

Saturday night will see them live either with friends and families or in the temporary tent erected by the civil defence and charity bodies at Al Nahda Park.

Speaking to Emirates 24|7, members of the affected families said they are still in the dark about their future as the property owners are meeting and yet to offer alternative arrangements.

“We are upset because the affected families are stranded here and there, and most of them have sought temporary shelter in the flats or villas of close friends or relatives.

“The Civil Defence officials have taken the contact number and names of residents of the flats directly affected by the far.

Only flats in the 8 and 9 series, numbering around 68 flats are directly affected,” said Mohammad M, a bank employee with three children.

“We cannot stay in the temporary tents erected in the Al Nahda Park, because it is too hot and humid. There are two tents that can accommodate 50 people. There are only chairs and we don’t know what facility is there for sleeping,” said the father of another family, who asked not to be named.

There are 12 flats on each floor of the affected building.

“We have carried an elderly Pakistani lady, who could not walk down the steps as she had a major surgery and was bedridden.

“We have helped the women, children and sick residents to escape from the building without harm,” added another resident.

"The tent is a good gesture from the authorities, but how can we use it in this hot climate," added the resident.

Tomorrow children have to be sent to schools and others have to attend office.

Click here to read: Fire guts 34-floor Sharjah building

Recounting what happened, another resident, who asked not to be named, said, “The fire started on the first or second floor.

The fire alarm went off and initially people ignored it because when people smoke outside the alarm used to ring.

“When we realised that it is a real fire, we rushed out taking just our mobile phones. My 7-year old daughter was too scared, but we have managed to escape and we thought it was only a small fire.

“For half an hour, the fire was not very big, but all of a sudden it spread.

“We don’t know what all is burnt in our house, but my neighbours have lost everything.

“The Civil Defence team have started checking each room affected by the fire and they are not allowing people to go back to the evacuated building,” said another resident, who asked to be identified as D’souza only.

“We could not attend office because all of us came out with just our passports, mobile phones and what we were wearing. We don’t know when we can go back and check. I left my flat open,” he said.

[Click here to read the barbeque fire that ravaged a Sharjah tower early this year]

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