Blacksmith jailed over Dubai fire that caused Dh2m damage

Blacksmith who accidentally caused a fire that caused more than Dh2 million worth of damage is sentenced to three years in prison.

DUBAI // A blacksmith who accidentally caused a fire that gutted two warehouses and caused more than Dh2 million worth of damages, was today sentenced to three months in prison.

GS, a 28-year-old from Bangladesh, was working in a warehouse in Al Quoz's Industrial Area on February 27 when a spark from his metal work flew into and ignited a can of paint remover that was next to a group of men working to replace the wooden floor.

Despite attempts to extinguish the fire the workers could not do so and they were forced to run from the warehouses and call police.

One warehouse belonging to Al Barsha Star for Trading was gutted, causing nearly Dh2 million in damages, while a second warehouse owned by Al Hatroushi for Construction sustained a further Dh700,000 worth of losses. Nobody was killed or injured in the fire.

AA, the 60-year-old manager of Al Barsha Star, said the fire started on the first floor next to his office then spread to the entire company. "When I called the defendant to ask about how the fire started, he asked me to forgive him," said the manager.

The manager waived his right to seek compensation, telling the court: "They are all poor men and do not have that kind of money to pay."

The Dubai Court of Misdemeanours charged the blacksmith with mistakenly causing a fire at the property of others.