Krazy
March 25th, 2007, 05:03 PM
Workers glide down rope to flee flames
Panic-stricken workers ran out of the first and second storeys of blazing tower while those on the top floors glided down a rope when the 12-floor multi-storey car park caught fire yesterday morning.
Seventy to 80 workers who were inside the building escaped unhurt except two who had respiratory problems after inhaling thick smoke.
Both the workers were admitted to hospital.
The Civil Defence team rushed to the scene and put out the fire in few minutes.
Brigadier Rashid Thani Al Matrooshi, Director of Dubai Civil Defence, said: “The fire started from a wooden container on the ground floor that was used by the workers as a temporary kitchen.
“The fire was put out before it could reach floors containing flammable paints and plastic material,” he said.
Bemasiri, a Sri Lankan AC technician, told Emirates Today: “I was on the roof top when my friends working in the Damas Towers close by called out and said there was a fire on the first floor.
“Within seconds I could see thick black smoke spreading outside and I slid down using the long rope attached to the building,” he said.
As he was coming down, Bemasiri said he could hear workers screaming and running for their lives along the spiralling driveways.
Shimon, a worker from Bangladesh, said he was standing just outside the building when he smelled something burning inside.
“I went in but could not see anything as thick smoke had enveloped the entire floor. I rushed out and shouted at others to get out immediately,” he said.
He said as the fire spread to the second and third floors, and smoke billowed up, workers ran out of the building fearing for their lives.
Panic-stricken workers ran out of the first and second storeys of blazing tower while those on the top floors glided down a rope when the 12-floor multi-storey car park caught fire yesterday morning.
Seventy to 80 workers who were inside the building escaped unhurt except two who had respiratory problems after inhaling thick smoke.
Both the workers were admitted to hospital.
The Civil Defence team rushed to the scene and put out the fire in few minutes.
Brigadier Rashid Thani Al Matrooshi, Director of Dubai Civil Defence, said: “The fire started from a wooden container on the ground floor that was used by the workers as a temporary kitchen.
“The fire was put out before it could reach floors containing flammable paints and plastic material,” he said.
Bemasiri, a Sri Lankan AC technician, told Emirates Today: “I was on the roof top when my friends working in the Damas Towers close by called out and said there was a fire on the first floor.
“Within seconds I could see thick black smoke spreading outside and I slid down using the long rope attached to the building,” he said.
As he was coming down, Bemasiri said he could hear workers screaming and running for their lives along the spiralling driveways.
Shimon, a worker from Bangladesh, said he was standing just outside the building when he smelled something burning inside.
“I went in but could not see anything as thick smoke had enveloped the entire floor. I rushed out and shouted at others to get out immediately,” he said.
He said as the fire spread to the second and third floors, and smoke billowed up, workers ran out of the building fearing for their lives.