DUBAI // One worker died after jumping from the fifth floor of a 28-storey tower in Dubai after a fire broke out yesterday afternoon.
Around 300 men were evacuated from the building that was under construction near Jumeirah Village Triangle.
Lt Col Ali Hassan Al Mutawa, head of operations at Civil Defence, said they were notified at 3.13pm about the fire that started on the 7th floor.
About 20 workers were trapped in the floors above the fire, witnesses reported.
“We could see about eight or 12 workers crowded at the top of the building, others in smaller groups in various parts of the higher floors. Black smoke was billowing out at about the tenth floor,” Nicolas Baker, 31, said.
Mr Baker was at his father’s villa in JVT at about 4pm when they heard the commotion. They could see the building clearly from the back garden.
“There wasn’t any explosion or anything. We just saw smoke coming from one of the two towers that are about 25 floors high.”
“We got a pair of binoculars to get a better look at what was happening.”
Firefighters and police were quickly at the scene said Mr Baker. “There was a police helicopter that circled the scene and then began directing the public away.
“It took about 30 to 45 minutes to have the situation under control. Many of the workers were lowered with the external lifts, the other workers moved back into the building once the situation seemed under control.”
Three civil defence teams attended the scene and about 30 men were treated for smoke inhalation.
malkhan@thenational.ae
