A huge fire gutted 12 retail spaces and left one man dead in Ajman's industrial area last night, said an official.
Brigadier Abdulaziz Ali Al Shamsi, the director general of Ajman's Civil Defence, said a report of a fire was received at around 4pm. Within minutes, firefighters were battling the blaze, which spread quickly due to the wind.
"Teams from Dubai, Ajman, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain helped put out the fire. Additionally, there were ambulances, electricity and water authority teams and a team from the municipality who were providing logistic support," said Mr Al Shamsi, adding that firefighters discovered the body of an Asian man while battling the blaze.
The cause of the fire is being investigated.
The site will be handed over to Ajman police forensic experts after the cooling process is complete.