Residents flee Sharjah building fire

Firefighters use boom-mounted hoses to put out the fire at Al Bandary tower on Al Ittihad Road in Sharjah. Reem Mohammed / The National

SHARJAH // A fire at a residential tower in Sharjah on Thursday forced the evacuation of the 20-storey building as the blaze spread.

Fire crews were sent to Al Bandary tower on Al Ittihad Road to tackle the blaze, which started at about 11am and had been extinguished by afternoon, residents said.

Maj Sami Al Naqbi, director of Sharjah Civil Defence, said the fire began on the 13th floor and spread to upper floors. He said there were no casualties but one person was treated by emergency crews at the scene.

Police closed the Dubai-bound side of the E11, which caused long tailbacks in Sharjah.

Iraqi Sheikh Mustafa heard fire alarms in the building shortly after 11am, and evacuated his flat with his wife and two children.

“It was the first time I’d heard the building fire alarm. A neighbour of ours knocked on our door and told us to evacuate,” said the 14th-floor resident.

Nasir Mohamed, a resident on the 16th floor, said he was on the balcony when he saw the blaze.

“I noticed the flames coming out and immediately informed my wife and parents. We took our important documents and headed towards the exit,” said the 46-year-old Syrian.

As he made his way down, a tenant who was helping his mother down the fire escape asked for Mr Mohamed’s help.

“I started helping him with his mother. When we reached the 12th floor, I told him that we need to get the fire crews’ help to get his mother out of the building,” the mechanic said. “I met a fireman on the lower floors and he went up and helped the woman and her son.”

National Ambulance crew were at the scene to treat those in need of medical assistance.

William Okjala was at home waiting for a friend at the time of the fire. “He called me and told me a fire had erupted in my building, and told me to get out,” said the businessman.

“The fire was blazing when I looked out, and debris fell on cars parked in front of the building before police vehicles removed them.”

A security guard at Safeer Mall, across from the building, said the fire spread quickly to the upper floors.

“The fire raged in the top floors on the right side. Before Civil Defence arrived at the scene, people were scrambling out of the building before police arrived to help them ,” he said.