Father and daughter die in Sharjah house fire

Blaze broke out at their home in Al Sayouh 16 area early on Tuesday

The cause of the house fire in Sharjah in which a father and daughter died has yet to be revealed. Pawan Singh / The National

An Emirati man and his 12-year-old daughter have died after a fire broke out at their villa in Sharjah's Al Suyouh 16 area.

The Sharjah Civil Defence Authority said it was alerted to the blaze at 4.27am on Tuesday.

Crews from Al Saja'a fire station arrived on the scene where they found the father and daughter with severe injuries.

Both were taken to Al Kuwaiti Hospital, where the father – whose age was not disclosed – was pronounced dead on arrival.

The young girl was treated by paramedics but died shortly after.

Fire officials said the flames caused damage to four rooms and a hallway. The cause has yet to be revealed.

Officials urged the public to adhere to safety procedures and ensure all electrical appliances are switched off before bedtime and to avoid overloading them.

"Such practices can lead to tragic fire accidents," the authority said in a statement.

"Regular maintenance of household appliances is a crucial step in preventing such devastating incidents."

Authorities also urged people to install functioning smoke detectors in the homes.