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Five workers injured in Sharjah blaze dead

SHARJAH — The death toll in Monday’s fire in three factories in Sharjah Industrial Area has risen to five — all Asians — with three more succumbing to the burns yesterday morning.

Two workers were found charred to death by Civil Defence personnel during fire-fighting operation that continued till 11pm. The three others passed away in Al Qasimi Hospital in Sharjah in yesterday morning.

The workers who died in the hospital are Faizullah, 27, and Mohammed Rawdwan, 28, both from Bangladesh, and Indian C.A Rageesh, 30. The names of the two who were found dead at the site is still not known. Eight workers had received first and second degree burns, according to Dr Saqr Al Mulla, surgeon at Al Qasimi emergency ward.

He said three injured workers brought by Civil Defence personnel at 5.30am were in a very serious condition. “We couldn’t save their lives,” Dr Al Mulla said. “Four others have first and second degree burns while the fifth one has injuries in his hand and fracture in the legs as he jumped from the building after breaking a glass windowpane. They are still in the hospital,” the doctor said.

Ghareeb Shabban, Director-General of Sharjah Civil Defence, said that the fire was brought under control at 9pm after which the cooling operations started. The Civil Defence fighters found two charred bodies in the debris of Al Safeena Al Sharq lubricant company.

He said the damage to the properties could run into millions of dirhams as seven vehicles were completely gutted, 10 oil tanks and 12,000 galloons of lubricants exploded.

Colonel Shabban said the emergency committee recently formed to reduce the number of fire accidents has been conducting inspections in the firms in industrial areas. It has fined several companies which have failed to follow the fire-safety regulations.

Prevention of fire accidents is a joint responsibility of the Civil Defence and owners of companies and warehouses, he said.

Norull Chaudary, an official of Al Zeyad Card, whose warehouse was also gutted in the accident, said the fire erupted in Safeena Al Sharq lubricant factory first after an explosion. It spread to a glass factory and the Al Zeyad’s warehouse. He said none of their employees was injured.

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