Fire at Dubai warehouse forces school evacuation

A school near a warehouse that burst into flames yesterday in Dubai has sent pupils home, after the civil defence advised officials there to do so.

DUBAI // A school in the vicinity of a chemical factory where a massive fire erupted yesterday has sent pupils back home today.

The Dubai Civil Defence recommended the move for schools in the area as a safety measure.

The Greenfield Community School in Dubai Investments Park sent more than 1,000 pupils back home this morning.

"As soon as we got the notice from the civil defence, evacuation procedures were put in place," said Clive Pierrepoint, the director of communications for Taleem, which manages the school.

"A communication went out by SMS and telephone," he said. The school is waiting for further information on its operations tomorrow.

The school's website said, "Due to the fire that took place within the industrial area yesterday, we are in the process of contacting parents to collect their children from their homeroom classes."

The school received the notice from the civil defence at 10.45am yesterday.

The fire erupted in a warehouse yesterday afternoon, an official at the company said yesterday.

The trading and manufacturing company's warehouse, in phase two of Dubai Investments Park, is believed to house industrial and food chemicals.

No casualties were reported in the fire. The area was cordoned off yesterday, and firefighters remained at the scene this morning.

Forensic investigators were scheduled to visit the site today to try to establish the cause.

Thick, black smoke enveloped the area, and staff at companies in the vicinity could see flames from several kilometres away yesterday.