31 of the fires in Dubai last year were 'intentional': Police

Thirty-one (7.8 per cent) out of the 394 fires that broke out in Dubai during the first 11 months of 2012, were caused intentionally, according to Dubai Police’s Department of Criminal Evidence and Criminology.

Magdi Kamel of the fire investigation section of the the department, says one indication of intentional fire is that it breaks out in more than one place.

Intentional fires are often linked to theft or murder, particularly when the blaze spreads in opposite direction to the wind.

Fires are also sometimes deliberately set off to destroy files and documents before annual stock taking or just before renewal of insurance or to help break into a warehouse, says Magdi.

But the main cause of fire (151 cases) was electrical short circuit, followed by falling burning objects like cigarette butts or charcoal in 55 cases.

Mechanical malfunctions caused 32 fires, 30 were caused by thermal devices and 22 by direct flames.

Sixteen fires were caused by car collisions followed by five caused by self-ignition and restaurant chimneys and two fires during religious rituals. Other reasons accounted for 25 cases.

During the first 11 months of 2012, the Bur Dubai police station received the largest number of reports of fire at 149, followed by Rashidiya police station at 81.

Jebel Ali police station got 76 fire reports, followed by Qusais with 60 and Muraqabat with 38.

Thirty-two fires were reported to Refa’ah police station, followed by Naif (15) and Hatta and Ports police stations (four each).

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