Ras Al Khaimah - The Central Operations Room of the RAK police, alerted of the inferno, dispatched the civil defence firefighters and rescue teams to the site in a record time.
Published: Tue 27 Sep 2016, 8:24 PM
Updated: Wed 28 Sep 2016, 9:15 AM
A luxury yacht went up in flames at Al Hamra Marina in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.
The Dh14million vessel sank into the sea after it was completely destroyed, according to informed sources with the RAK civil defence department.
"Initial investigations showed that the blaze was caused by electric shortcut, following which the fire started in the upper deck, and engulfed the entire luxury yacht."
The Central Operations Room of the RAK police, alerted of the inferno, dispatched the civil defence firefighters and rescue teams to the site in a record time.
"However, the flames spread quickly in the volatile and inflammable materials on the boat."
The RAK firefighters pulled the yacht out to the sea in a bid to better control the fire and prevent it from spreading to nearby boats and facilities, they added.
"Though no one has been hurt, the luckily insured yacht that was built by a Turkish shipbuilder 16 years ago, actually in 2000, sank into the Hamra Marina offshore, after it totally went up in flames."
Eye witnesses told Khaleej Times that the yacht went up in flames all of a sudden. "The fire spread so quickly in the entire vessel, even before the civil defence people arrived at the site."
"Though they managed to put out and contain the flames before spreading to nearby boats using different materials, the luxury yacht sank into the sea.
Meanwhile, the RAK civil defence firefighters managed to put out another fire in the preparation room of the lab of the Hamham secondary school in Ras Al Khaimah.
Though the fire started early before the students arrival, the school administration sent them home for fear of suffocation and for their own safety.
Another fire erupted in the same school in the Resources room, according to informed sources at the school. "No casualties were reported."
A source with the RAK civil defence department said the fire started at the one-floor school, built at Sohaila area in 1996, at 7.40am before the beginning of the school day. "Investigations are on to identify the reasons behind the fire."
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com
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