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Roof collapse triggers house visit

RAS AL KHAIMAH — A technical committee of a private construction and contracting company visited the dilapidated houses of the UAE nationals Ali Al Nagbi and the late Ali Hassan Al Ali to assess their current condition and maintenance needs.

The roof of one house, located in Rashid Yahya Al Yorabi district, recently collapsed, causing serious injuries to Al Nagbi’s eight-year-old daughter, Reem, who was studying in the room.

Reem was taken to Saqr Hospital here where she received initial treatment.

Later, she was referred to Khalifah Hospital in Abu Dhabi for further treatment and her condition is said to be stable. The other house, which is 40-year-old and located in Sydrouah area, was completely destroyed in a fire that left the poor family in very miserable condition.

The 14-member family of Al Ali, who died 14 years ago, lives on only Dh3, 500 monthly income — Dh1, 250 from the Social Support Department and 2,250 as a retirement fund of their late father.

The visit is prompted by the directives of Shaikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, who visited the two sites last Friday and ordered the maintenance of the two houses as well as financial support for Reem’s treatment.

The Dubai-based Mohammed bin Rashid Charity Organisation has donated monthly financial support to the two families and arranged temporary accommodation for the two families as long as the maintenance and construction work on their old house is completed.

Shaikh Saqr has also pointed out that RAK government has allocated Dh100 million to reconstruct the old houses of the poor people in the emirate.

The RAK harsh weather conditions high level of humidity and temperatures — cause great damage to the buildings, which tend to collapse in relatively short span of time.

Buildings in the emirate need continuous repair and maintenance, which is sometimes beyond the financial resources of the emirate’s poor.

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