An intense fire broke out in a high-rise apartment building in the city of Ajman, the smallest of the Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. The event took place early this Tuesday, June 27, and was captured through videos that are already circulating on social media. In spite of the efforts by the authorities, the cause of the blaze is still unknown.
The local firefighters’ brigade took hours to extinguish the flames at the scene. Fortunately, there had been no reports of injured or deceased residents. In addition, the officials have advised people to stay away from the zone. They also suggested that people who live or work nearby remain in safe places inside their homes or shelters, with the windows closed to avoid inhaling smoke.
In response, the Ajman Police Department informed that the Director General of Special Operations established a mobile police station to provide information, certificates, and incident reports for residents of the building, named the Ajman One Tower 02. Collaborations with the Red Crescent have set up buses to relocate residents to hotels throughout the cities of Ajman and Sharjah.
The United Arab Emirates officials have reported similar incidents in the country. For example, in 2022, a skyscraper in Dubai was damaged due to a large fire. Also, in 2016, another fire, which is comparable to the one in Ajman, spread to an adjoining building. Following these events, lawmakers have issued laws for these structures to be made of fire-resistant materials so that these emergencies can be controlled in the future.