Back to normal at fire-damaged tower on Reem Island

The fire that broke out late on Sunday night on Reem Island caused minimal damage to The Kite Residences tower, the property developer has said.

A spokesman at Aabar Properties said there was minimal damage at under-construction the Kite Residences on Reem Island. Courtesy George Hanna

ABU DHABI // The fire that broke out late on Sunday night on Reem Island caused minimal damage to a high-rise tower and operations are now back to normal, the property developer said on Tuesday.

Firefighters from three stations quickly extinguished the blaze at The Kite Residences after being alerted at 11.33pm on Sunday.

“We can confirm that an initial assessment indicates only superficial, cosmetic damage to the building, which remains under construction,” said a spokesman for Aabar Properties.

“Most importantly, no injuries or loss of life occurred, and Aabar Properties remains committed to demanding the highest standards of health and safety for all its projects.”

Lt Col Mohammed Al Ansari, director general of Abu Dhabi Civil Defence, has called on building developers, contractors and owners to abide by guidelines and instructions issued by relevant authorities for buildings under construction. He said there was a need for preventive measures and general safety requirements at building sites.

“Aabar Properties is working with the contractor, who remains in control of the site, together with the relevant authorities to conclude an investigation into the incident,” the spokesman said.

“Work is expected to be proceeding as normal on-site by today (Tuesday) and at this time, no overall delay to construction is expected. The sales offices and show apartments at the building are open and operating as usual.”