15 hurt in Abu Dhabi building fire

UPDATE: The Civil Defense and Rapid Intervention teams in Abu Dhabi managed to put out a fire that broke out in the first floor of a residential building in Al Khalidiya, Abu Dhabi.

Major General Maktoum Al Shareefi at the fire location (Photo: ME NewsWire)

The fire resulted in the injury of 15 people who sustained minor to medium injuries, including cases of suffocation as a result of smoke, and were transferred to the hospital.

Al Marzouqui and Al Ansari supervised the firefighting efforts on-site (Photo: ME NewsWire)

A firefighter suffered heat exhaustion while battling the blaze, which damaged 10 vehicles that were parked in the vicinity of the building and a number of shop windows.

Fire Extinguished at an Apartment Building in Al Khalidiya (Photo: ME NewsWire)

The civil defense teams coordinated with the UAE Red Crescent to provide temporary housing and food rations for residents who were affected by the fire.

Civil Defense teams evacuated residents from the building as a precautionary measure (Photo: ME NewsWire)

Major General Jassem Muhammad Al Marzouqui, Civil Defense General Commander-in-chief supervised the efforts to extinguish the huge blaze; along with Major General Maktoum Al Shareefi, Acting Director General of Abu Dhabi Police; Major General Omair Al Muhairi, Director General of Police Operations at Abu Dhabi Police; and Lt. Colonel Mohammed Abdul Jalil Abdullah Ahmed Al Ansari, Director General of Civil Defense in Abu Dhabi. They reviewed the precautionary measures that were taken to immediately contain the fire and prevent the flames from spreading to the adjacent t buildings.

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Elaborating on the details of the incident, Lt. Colonel Al Ansari pointed out that the civil defense headquarters was alerted of the fire breakout at 12.07 p.m. today, (Monday).

“Four Civil Defense and intervention teams, supported by ambulances were immediately dispatched to the location of the fire. They promptly managed to extinguish the blaze that broke out and took the necessary preventive measures by evacuating the injured and people residing in the vicinity,” he noted.

Moreover, he indicated that the teams provided first aid and medical care to the injured pending their transfer to the hospital.

Major General Al Marzouqui noted that according to preliminary inspection, the fire was classified as above average.

“Investigation is still underway to determine the circumstances and causes of the fire,” he said.

He urged the public to adhere to the safety and prevention requirements in residential and commercial buildings, and to abide by the guidelines issued by the Civil Defense and other entities to provide the necessary prevention measures so as to avoid the occurrence of domestic accidents.

The Air Support Department took part in the operation, using wireless drones to broadcast live footage in support of the on-site mission supervisor.

The traffic patrols and officers from the Community Police provided support operations, while the Security Media Department’s patrols helped to keep track of the situational logistics on the ground and distribute resources accordingly.

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