AJMAN // Police are to conduct safety inspections of all oil companies in the emirate following a fire that badly damaged three depots at a private oil company on Tuesday evening. The blaze engulfed the depots in Ajman New Industrial area. It took firefighters about two hours to put it out. Col Ali Alwan, the head of Ajman Police, said three depots were damaged but there were no fatalities or injuries because all the workers had already left and gone home. "We are still investigating the exact cause of the fire," he said.
"It could have possibly started in one depot and spread to the others." Col Alwan said fires at oil installations were uncommon and Ajman Police would be checking the safety standards of all oil companies. Mohammed al Shaheen, the head of Ajman Civil Defence, said it was a minor fire that was immediately brought under control. Thick smoke from the industrial area could be seen from as far as Al Rashidiya at around 8pm. Traffic moved slowly as police cordoned off some roads in the industrial area to help the fire fighters.
An official from Ajman Municipality and Planning Department said the company involved did not have a bad record of oil storage and the municipality would help to establish the cause of the fire. He said there was no prospect of an oil-supply shortage as a result of the fire. Company officials said they would assess the damage after police finished their investigation. ykakande@thenational.ae
