In Dubai, a residential building recently caught fire, killing at least 16 people, including three Pakistanis, and wounding nine more.
The five-story apartment structure in question is situated in Al-Ras, one of Dubai’s oldest neighbourhoods, and it houses a number of migrant workers and traders.
Around 12:35 PM on Saturday, Dubai Civil Defence Operations received a fire alert. As soon as a rescue crew arrived, they started the evacuation and firefighting process.
Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s prime minister, has expressed grief over the deaths of the three people there in the fire.
He expressed his condolences to the grieving families on Twitter on Monday and assured them of help from Pakistan’s Mission in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
I am very sad to learn about the death of three Pakistanis in a residential building fire in Dubai. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families over the tragedy. Have directed Pakistan's Mission in the UAE to extend support to the affected families.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 17, 2023
According to Civil Defence Operations, the fire was started by a failure to follow required security and safety procedures, according to the first results of the investigation.
Local reports indicate that the victims may include three Pakistanis, four Indians, one Cameroonian, one Sudanese, one West African, among others, though the identities of the victims have not yet been made public.
