Residents that fled a blazing Dubai Marina tower on Friday have recounted their ordeal as the community rallies round to help.
They described friends and fellow residents banging on doors warning of a fire as the smell of smoke descended through Marina Pinnacle Tower.
Some even had no idea about the blaze until residents of neighbouring towers warned them.
Video footage seen by The National shows rows of people descending down the stairs in the tower known informally as “Tiger Tower".
Dubai Media Office on Saturday said the blaze affected the upper floors of the “67-storey” building and was brought under control in "six hours".
All 3,820 residents from 764 apartments were moved to safety and there were no injuries, the media office said.
Emergency services were still at the scene on Sunday with the site locked off.
A growing support network
At Dubai Marina on Sunday, the community was stepping up efforts by helping to find accommodation, supplying meals, sourcing clothes and even reuniting pets.
A WhatsApp group dedicated to the effort has amassed at least 1,000 members.
The cause of the blaze is not yet known and it is still not clear when residents will be able to return. Some are being housed in nearby hotels, while others are staying with friends and family.
Jennifer Lucero said she was resting on her bed when a fellow resident banged on the door warning of a fire. She thought it was a drill until she went outside her room and smelt smoke.
“I’m panicking but I have to be strong,” she told The National. “I can still smell the smoke." Ms Lucero battled her way out by using the staircase and then the lift. "You don’t know what to do," she said.
Juliet Galope, another resident of the tower, said residents of adjacent buildings called to warn of the blaze.
Ms Galope said at around 9:30pm they tried to leave using the staircase but heavy smoke prevented them and they managed to escape through the lift.
She has since been put up in a hotel near Global Village. Others have gone to accommodation in Deira and Sharjah. It is not clear if all those affected have been accommodated.
“They [have] given us free food and some are donating clothes and other essentials,” said Ms Galope.
Catalina Dumitru, a resident of the adjacent Torch Tower, said she saw smoke just after 9pm on Friday and immediately thought of her two friends and cat in the building.
“I called my two friends and said, 'you better come over to my place'."
Ms Dumitru said she counted at least 18 fire lorries and paid tribute to the firefighters who made unrelenting efforts to extinguish the blaze. “They gave 120 per cent to put this out. They did everything they could.”
However, many residents do not know when they can return. “We don’t know who to ask,” said Ms Lucero, who is currently with a friend. “My worry now is where to stay.”
The road to recovery
The owners association, meanwhile, thanked Dubai Civil Defence for controlling the fire.
“The owners association managing Marina Pinnacle Tower has announced the provision of alternative accommodation for owners residing in the tower whose units were affected by the recent fire,” it said in a statement.
“The association expressed its deep sorrow over the incident, stating that it has responded to the directives of the concerned authorities to provide temporary housing for the affected residents. It also confirmed that it has initiated contact with the insurance company to complete the necessary procedures in such cases.
“The Marina Pinnacle Owners Association extended its sincere thanks to the Dubai Civil Defence teams for their tremendous efforts in controlling the fire, carrying out the cooling operations, and ensuring the safety of all residents.”
It is believed this was sent to owners and not tenants. It is also understood some of the rooms in the building were partitioned into bed spaces.
A note sent to residents by the property management company and seen by The National also expressed its "sincere regret" at the incident and stated the fire had been brought under control with no one injured.
"We also inform you that, as the property management company, we have relocated a number of affected residents to a temporary hotel until the situation is restored to normal."
It also gave advice on how to access emergency accommodation and told people to bring a title deed if owner and a tenancy contract if renting.
Ms Dumitru said the community spirit in Dubai following the blaze was noteworthy.
"I was extremely impressed. People provided food and water for firefighters in front of my building. We have collected donations such as food and clothes and shoes."
Fibber Magee's, which has outlets on Sheikh Zayed Road and Barsha, offered a free meal to those affected.
“We hope all those impacted by the Marina fire this weekend have been taken care of and are in good hands,” it said in a post on social media.
“Anyone facing a tough time or needs an escape; there’s a table, meal and drink for you; free of charge at Fibbers SZR or Barsha.”
The Roads and Transport Authority on Sunday said tram services between Dubai Marina Station and Palm Jumeirah Station have resumed normal operations after being temporarily suspended due to the blaze.
In the meantime, the insurance companies and investigators are set to assess the cause and plan the next steps for residents.
