UAE

Huge fire breaks out at Sharjah apartment block

Abbco Tower and several surrounding buildings were evacuated as flames lit up the night sky

Salam Al Amir
Salam Al Amir

May 06, 2020

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Latest: Aluminium cladding blamed as authorities to probe towers across Sharjah

Hundreds of Sharjah tenants watched from the streets as firefighters battled a huge blaze that gutted their 48-storey building on Tuesday night.

Flames spread through Abbco Tower in Al Nahda shortly after smoke alarms sounded in the building's 300-plus apartments.

Some families thought the alarms at 9pm were a drill until they saw flames and debris outside their own windows.

Vehicles parked outside were damaged when debris crashed onto them.

Seven people were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation, the emergency services said.

It's my birthday today and we were about to eat in celebration when we saw debris falling and windows cracking

“I heard fire alarms but thought it was a drill,” said Syrian Fadlallah Hassoun, 30, who lives on the 15th floor.

"Then when I heard sirens and screams I looked outside and saw neighbours running down the stairs from the emergency exit."

Mr Hassoun ran back into his flat and rescued his cat, which was hiding under the bed.

"I had to break the drawer under my bed to get her out, then picked up my mobile phone and ran down the stairs," he said.
Mr Hassoun left all of his possessions behind, including passport and ID.

Nigerian resident Natasha Abu Bakir, 19, was watching a film in her apartment on the 21st floor when one of her neighbours screamed “fire, fire.”

“I asked my neighbours what was happening but it was chaos," Ms Abu Bakir said.

Sharjah is to replace hazardous cladding on buildings, with work starting this week. Such cladding was cited as the cause of a major blaze at Abbco Tower in the emirate in 2020. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Sharjah is to replace hazardous cladding on buildings, with work starting this week. Such cladding was cited as the cause of a major blaze at Abbco Tower in the emirate in 2020. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Abbco Tower in Sharjah after the massive fire. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Abbco Tower in Sharjah after the massive fire. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Abbco Tower the morning after the fire. Sharjah. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Abbco Tower the morning after the fire. Sharjah. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Abbco Tower in Sharjah after the massive fire. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Abbco Tower in Sharjah after the massive fire. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Abbco Tower in Sharjah was gutted in the fire. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Abbco Tower in Sharjah was gutted in the fire. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The area around Sharjah's Abbco Tower. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The area around Sharjah's Abbco Tower. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The damaged Abbco Tower after a huge blaze on Tuesday night. The building was fitted with cladding that was banned in 2016. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The damaged Abbco Tower after a huge blaze on Tuesday night. The building was fitted with cladding that was banned in 2016. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Families watch as flames spread through their building late on Tuesday night. Several surrounding towers were evacuated as a precaution. All photos by Antonie Robertson / The National
Families watch as flames spread through their building late on Tuesday night. Several surrounding towers were evacuated as a precaution. All photos by Antonie Robertson / The National
The fire quickly spread through the building, gutting apartments and sending debris raining down on vehicles below.
The fire quickly spread through the building, gutting apartments and sending debris raining down on vehicles below.
Dozens of firefighters and vehicles were at the scene shortly after the fire was first reported about 8.30pm on Tuesday.
Dozens of firefighters and vehicles were at the scene shortly after the fire was first reported about 8.30pm on Tuesday.
Exhausted crews take a brief break and check their equipment.
Exhausted crews take a brief break and check their equipment.
The fire in Sharjah lit up the night sky.
The fire in Sharjah lit up the night sky.
Buildings in the area are tightly packed together and several were evacuated amid fears the blaze could spread.
Buildings in the area are tightly packed together and several were evacuated amid fears the blaze could spread.
Many residents said they did not have home insurance and fear their lost possessions cannot be replaced.
Many residents said they did not have home insurance and fear their lost possessions cannot be replaced.
The blaze continued into the night with crews remaining at the scene on Wednesday morning to dampen the building.
The blaze continued into the night with crews remaining at the scene on Wednesday morning to dampen the building.
Some tenants managed to grab a handful of possessions before fleeing the tower.
Some tenants managed to grab a handful of possessions before fleeing the tower.
Residents watch on as the fire is contained.
Residents watch on as the fire is contained.
The fire in Sharjah was reported after 8.30pm.
The fire in Sharjah was reported after 8.30pm.
Damage to the rear side of the building was not as severe leading some to hope they can recover their belongings.
Damage to the rear side of the building was not as severe leading some to hope they can recover their belongings.
A police officer collects testimonies from the residents. EPA
A police officer collects testimonies from the residents. EPA
Police officers take residents' details as they try to arrange accommodation.
Police officers take residents' details as they try to arrange accommodation.
There were more than 300 apartments inside the 48-storey building and many are shared by tenants and families.
There were more than 300 apartments inside the 48-storey building and many are shared by tenants and families.
Fadlallahie Hassoun cradles his cat after escaping the building.
Fadlallahie Hassoun cradles his cat after escaping the building.
The building burned for several hours before it was brought under control.
The building burned for several hours before it was brought under control.
Charity workers from Emirates Red Crescent hand out water and juice and take down details to arrange accommodation.
Charity workers from Emirates Red Crescent hand out water and juice and take down details to arrange accommodation.
Families fear they will not be allowed to return to collect belongings for days if not weeks.
Families fear they will not be allowed to return to collect belongings for days if not weeks.
Civil Defence forces extinguish the fire. EPA
Civil Defence forces extinguish the fire. EPA
People stand on a bridge and watch a fire that erupts in a 48-storey residential tower in Sharjah. AFP
People stand on a bridge and watch a fire that erupts in a 48-storey residential tower in Sharjah. AFP
Residents of the burning high-rise building look on as fire-fighting efforts continue. EPA
Residents of the burning high-rise building look on as fire-fighting efforts continue. EPA

"They said the fire started in the lower floors and was spreading fast.

“I was scared and didn’t have time so I picked up my passport and left."

A family of four sat on the pavement nearly three streets away from the building and demanded greater support from their landlord.

They had lived on the 18th floor for eight years and said this was the second fire there after a smaller blaze in May 2016.

Roy Cooper / The National
Roy Cooper / The National

“We lost everything in our apartment, everything," said the Egyptian mother, who asked not to be identified.

"Now we are waiting to know what will happen to us.

“It was a disaster. Smoke started coming into our flat from under the window. It felt as if it was coming through the walls."

Christian Fausto, 36, from the Philippines, lives in the adjacent building to Abbco Tower. He heard the sound of windows cracking outside due to the heat.

He gathered his wife, their son aged 4 and their 7-month-old baby, and ran outside with a small case of essentials.

“It’s my birthday today and we were about to eat in celebration when we saw the fire growing bigger, and saw debris falling and windows cracking,” Mr Fausto said.

Police received a report of the fire about 9pm and the first crews were on the scene in six minutes, officers said.

Police and Civil Defence said they used drones to scan the tall building to ensure no one was trapped.

Several neighbouring buildings were evacuated as a precaution.

“Tenants were evacuated before the fire spread, which helped to avoid any serious injuries,” Sharjah Civil Defence chief Col Sami Al Naqbi said.

“Arrangements are now under way to provide housing for the tenants."

Crowds of displaced tenants gathered in the park opposite the building, where Emirates Red Crescent volunteers wrote down their names to arrange for their temporary housing.

Municipality staff and Red Crescent workers handed out water and juice to tenants while hotel accommodation was arranged.

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The major Hashd factions linked to Iran:

Badr Organisation: Seen as the most militarily capable faction in the Hashd. Iraqi Shiite exiles opposed to Saddam Hussein set up the group in Tehran in the early 1980s as the Badr Corps under the supervision of the Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The militia exalts Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei but intermittently cooperated with the US military.

Saraya Al Salam (Peace Brigade): Comprised of former members of the officially defunct Mahdi Army, a militia that was commanded by Iraqi cleric Moqtada Al Sadr and fought US and Iraqi government and other forces between 2004 and 2008. As part of a political overhaul aimed as casting Mr Al Sadr as a more nationalist and less sectarian figure, the cleric formed Saraya Al Salam in 2014. The group’s relations with Iran has been volatile.

Kataeb Hezbollah: The group, which is fighting on behalf of the Bashar Al Assad government in Syria, traces its origins to attacks on US forces in Iraq in 2004 and adopts a tough stance against Washington, calling the United States “the enemy of humanity”.

Asaeb Ahl Al Haq: An offshoot of the Mahdi Army active in Syria. Asaeb Ahl Al Haq’s leader Qais al Khazali was a student of Mr Al Moqtada’s late father Mohammed Sadeq Al Sadr, a prominent Shiite cleric who was killed during Saddam Hussein’s rule.

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Saraya Al Khorasani:  The ICRG formed Saraya Al Khorasani in the mid-1990s and the group is seen as the most ideologically attached to Iran among Tehran’s satellites in Iraq.

(Source: The Wilson Centre, the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation)

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