Fire breaks out in Al Barsha, Dubai


Kelly Clarke
  • English
  • Arabic

A large fire broke out at a residential building in Al Barsha, Dubai, on Friday.

Several residents reported seeing smoke near Barsha 1, just off the D63.

Dubai Civil Defence on Twitter said its crews brought the blaze under control "within 14 minutes".

They were alerted to the fire at 1.24pm and arrived at the scene four minutes later.

A picture released by the civil defence showed a crane being used to assist firefighters in extinguishing the flames.

No casualties were reported.

An investigation will be carried out to determine the cause of the fire.

Residents of the tower were moved out and nearby buildings were evacuated as firefighters contained the blaze.

A Dubai Police helicopter circled overhead as an emergency response was put into action.

Streets surrounding the building were cordoned off as the cooling down of the building continued.

At about 3.30pm, a number of civil defence personnel were seen rescuing three residents from a high-floor balcony using a cherry picker.

Located four floors from the top, the residents seemed calm and their apartment appeared to be free of smoke damage, despite nearby apartments showing evidence of a fire.

A father-of-three who was standing on a street nearby with suitcases said his family was evacuated from the Abidos Hotel Apartments, located close to the burning building, as a safety precaution.

“We could smell the smoke so I went down to reception to ask what had happened and the staff advised us to to grab our belongings and leave,” he said.

“The building I am staying in with my family was not the building that was on fire but they evacuated us as a precaution.

“The fire looks under control now.”

A second passerby said he walked closer to the building as he could see smoke billowing in the distance.

What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

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  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
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  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Airev
Started: September 2023
Founder: Muhammad Khalid
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Generative AI
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
 
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The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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  • Fireworks/ flares
  • Radios or power banks
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  • Selfie sticks/ umbrellas
  • Sharp objects
  • Political flags or banners
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Rating: 1/5

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Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

 

Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris

 
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Euro 2020 qualifier

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Profile

Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari

Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.

Number of employees: Over 50

Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised

Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital 

Sector of operation: Transport

Stuck in a job without a pay rise? Here's what to do

Chris Greaves, the managing director of Hays Gulf Region, says those without a pay rise for an extended period must start asking questions – both of themselves and their employer.

“First, are they happy with that or do they want more?” he says. “Job-seeking is a time-consuming, frustrating and long-winded affair so are they prepared to put themselves through that rigmarole? Before they consider that, they must ask their employer what is happening.”

Most employees bring up pay rise queries at their annual performance appraisal and find out what the company has in store for them from a career perspective.

Those with no formal appraisal system, Mr Greaves says, should ask HR or their line manager for an assessment.

“You want to find out how they value your contribution and where your job could go,” he says. “You’ve got to be brave enough to ask some questions and if you don’t like the answers then you have to develop a strategy or change jobs if you are prepared to go through the job-seeking process.”

For those that do reach the salary negotiation with their current employer, Mr Greaves says there is no point in asking for less than 5 per cent.

“However, this can only really have any chance of success if you can identify where you add value to the business (preferably you can put a monetary value on it), or you can point to a sustained contribution above the call of duty or to other achievements you think your employer will value.”

 

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Updated: March 12, 2022, 2:11 PM`