Rescuers tried for hours to find the man trapped underneath the rubble but when they did he was dead. Courtesy Dubai Police
Rescuers tried for hours to find the man trapped underneath the rubble but when they did he was dead. Courtesy Dubai Police
Rescuers tried for hours to find the man trapped underneath the rubble but when they did he was dead. Courtesy Dubai Police
Rescuers tried for hours to find the man trapped underneath the rubble but when they did he was dead. Courtesy Dubai Police

Dubai construction worker dies after being trapped under collapsed ceiling for 26 hours


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A construction worker's body was on Wednesday recovered after being trapped for 26 hours under rubble following a ceiling collapse.

Another worker sustained injuries in the incident at the building site near Etihad Mall in Al Muhaisnah, Dubai.

"We saw many police officers rushing to the scene," said Luqman, a Pakistani worker at the site.

"Labourers also rushed to find out what happened.

"I didn't see the ceiling collapse. Luckily, I was working in a different area on the site."

Dayantam, 40, a Sri Lankan gardener at the site, said: "I was not at the site when the incident took place. Labourers told me that the ceiling fell on top of the deceased while he was working."

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Police said more than 30 officers attended after the collapse was reported at 8.30am on Tuesday.

Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Burqaibah, the deputy director of search and rescue, said his team managed to rescue the injured worker.

"Another worker was trapped under rubble due to the ceiling collapse at the construction site," he said. "We used several tools to find him.

"This morning, the rescue team found the trapped worker dead at 11am."

Police had been using sniffer dogs and heavy-duty lifting equipment in the search, but to no avail.

"We came up with a plan to search for the worker. Members of the rescue team were using several machines, including drilling machines, to find the missing worker," Lt Col Burqaibah said.

Three members of the management company at the site declined to comment, although one said they would be in touch with the dead worker's family.  

The family should be in line for compensation as the worker died at work.

Police checked the list of workers at the site to be certain that no one else was missing. They said an investigation would be carried out to determine the cause.

In July last year, a construction worker was killed when a metal bar weighing 24 kilograms fell on his head as he worked on a Palm Jumeirah hotel.

The 34-year-old Bangladeshi was standing below the third floor when a piece of scaffolding struck him. Paramedics tried to revive him but he was dead by the time he reached Rashid Hospital.

* This article has been amended since publication to include updated information from Dubai Police.

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.

Russia's Muslim Heartlands

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Al Jazira's foreign quartet for 2017/18

Romarinho, Brazil

Lassana Diarra, France

Sardor Rashidov, Uzbekistan

Mbark Boussoufa, Morocco

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Wales 20-19 France

Wales: T: Wainwright, Moriarty. Cons: Biggar (2) Pens: Biggar 2

France: T: Vahaamahina, Ollivon, Vakatawa Cons: Ntamack (2)

GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
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- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

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Tony Booth, professor of education

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Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

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Stars: Toni Collette, Bella Heathcote, David Wenham, Omari Hardwick   

Director: Minkie Spiro

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The specs

Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm

Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm

Transmission: eight-speed auto

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The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
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Leaderboard

63 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA)

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66 - Jon Rahm (ESP)

67 - Tom Lewis (ENG), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)

68 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)

69 - Justin Rose (ENG), Thomas Detry (BEL), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Danny Willett (ENG), Li Haotong (CHN), Matthias Schwab (AUT)

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Managing the separation process

  • Choose your nursery carefully in the first place
  • Relax – and hopefully your child will follow suit
  • Inform the staff in advance of your child’s likes and dislikes.
  • If you need some extra time to talk to the teachers, make an appointment a few days in advance, rather than attempting to chat on your child’s first day
  • The longer you stay, the more upset your child will become. As difficult as it is, walk away. Say a proper goodbye and reassure your child that you will be back
  • Be patient. Your child might love it one day and hate it the next
  • Stick at it. Don’t give up after the first day or week. It takes time for children to settle into a new routine.And, finally, don’t feel guilty.  
The bio

Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.

Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.

Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.

Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.

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