![Families have since moved back into the building but many survivors say the horror of the blaze haunts them every day. Pawan Singh / The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CLJR7PPQD5E77JCDAHIN5O7WCM.jpg?smart=true&auth=0cb48ca86679044c71dc4a2a14195d8126b4a47833417f1a4685849a72e3f00c&width=400&height=225)
![Yemdzu Doris Claire, from Cameroon, is one of the survivors of the blaze in Deira that killed 16 people and injured nine others on April 15. Leslie Pableo / The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RV3KZ3L7SZBLDE65GF6YNOECDE.jpg?smart=true&auth=bea7edaad21727b65ecaedaa92a1728432cd71a37ead297ef343770c016c1b60&width=400&height=225)
![Ms Claire, right, lived with her friend Nicole Abinkeng, also from Cameroon, who fell to her death after trying to escape the flames from her fourth-floor apartment. Photo: Yemdzu Doris Claire](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6YPQIVP4UVCZ5NPV7DVAGRM4UA.jpeg?smart=true&auth=6be650b905fdef73524e3289701942593c054d6298ffecb8595b8b0ea31ffdfd&width=400&height=225)
![Tchafa Louis, from Cameroon, who escaped the fire by jumping from a fifth-floor balcony, still has nightmares about a neighbour falling to her death. Photo: Tchafa Louis](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BK7RCEGI6VGJJPJLHBRFASFEUE.jpeg?smart=true&auth=4a73c31bf8dfa59c4a0414075f1f04779068e8b0cfdbb013cde685e590652d80&width=400&height=225)
![Gudu Saliyakoondu, the building's security guard from southern India's Tamil Nadu state, died while trying to save the lives of residents. Photo: Gudu family](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WBUU3LLXQFF5RCZVQAQTI5N73M.jpeg?smart=true&auth=76801d8d2adb12c052975e13286af318963f16ec2a02e4b11a723d31d899c815&width=400&height=225)
![The five-storey residential building in Deira, Dubai, was engulfed in flames on April 15. EPA](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NAGI3XL2YFGKTPUOHGRQZCANUU.jpg?smart=true&auth=1460466ebb35d6d294239671b983ddd1496a16e891cf1bff5bbf69aa32be3ffc&width=400&height=225)
![Families have since moved back into the building but many survivors say the horror of the blaze haunts them every day. Pawan Singh / The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CLJR7PPQD5E77JCDAHIN5O7WCM.jpg?smart=true&auth=0cb48ca86679044c71dc4a2a14195d8126b4a47833417f1a4685849a72e3f00c&width=400&height=225)
![Yemdzu Doris Claire, from Cameroon, is one of the survivors of the blaze in Deira that killed 16 people and injured nine others on April 15. Leslie Pableo / The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RV3KZ3L7SZBLDE65GF6YNOECDE.jpg?smart=true&auth=bea7edaad21727b65ecaedaa92a1728432cd71a37ead297ef343770c016c1b60&width=400&height=225)
![Ms Claire, right, lived with her friend Nicole Abinkeng, also from Cameroon, who fell to her death after trying to escape the flames from her fourth-floor apartment. Photo: Yemdzu Doris Claire](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6YPQIVP4UVCZ5NPV7DVAGRM4UA.jpeg?smart=true&auth=6be650b905fdef73524e3289701942593c054d6298ffecb8595b8b0ea31ffdfd&width=400&height=225)
![Tchafa Louis, from Cameroon, who escaped the fire by jumping from a fifth-floor balcony, still has nightmares about a neighbour falling to her death. Photo: Tchafa Louis](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BK7RCEGI6VGJJPJLHBRFASFEUE.jpeg?smart=true&auth=4a73c31bf8dfa59c4a0414075f1f04779068e8b0cfdbb013cde685e590652d80&width=400&height=225)
![Gudu Saliyakoondu, the building's security guard from southern India's Tamil Nadu state, died while trying to save the lives of residents. Photo: Gudu family](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WBUU3LLXQFF5RCZVQAQTI5N73M.jpeg?smart=true&auth=76801d8d2adb12c052975e13286af318963f16ec2a02e4b11a723d31d899c815&width=400&height=225)
![The five-storey residential building in Deira, Dubai, was engulfed in flames on April 15. EPA](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NAGI3XL2YFGKTPUOHGRQZCANUU.jpg?smart=true&auth=1460466ebb35d6d294239671b983ddd1496a16e891cf1bff5bbf69aa32be3ffc&width=400&height=225)
![Families have since moved back into the building but many survivors say the horror of the blaze haunts them every day. Pawan Singh / The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CLJR7PPQD5E77JCDAHIN5O7WCM.jpg?smart=true&auth=0cb48ca86679044c71dc4a2a14195d8126b4a47833417f1a4685849a72e3f00c&width=400&height=225)
'There is no life without him': Survivors of deadly Dubai fire still struggle with trauma
Residents who leapt to safety say they remain terrified and anxious after April 15 blaze that killed friends and family
![Ramola Talwar Badam](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F5ef0cfa3-a931-4bee-a429-a6e926cfab98.png?smart=true&auth=8bd0c965d9bb14cf66195518e8cc461c939674357be28fde76d5e3597d39b95d&width=70&height=70)
Ramola Talwar Badam
December 21, 2023
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