Five dead in Sharjah skyscraper fire, including Pakistani worker

SHARJAH: A devastating fire in a high-rise apartment building located in the Al Nahda area of Sharjah has resulted in the fatalities of five individuals, including a Pakistani worker. Nineteen others have sustained injuries, with two currently in critical condition, according to local police reports.

The incident began around 11:30 AM when the Sharjah Police received an emergency call regarding flames emerging from the highest floor of the building.

The injured individuals are receiving medical care at Al Qasimi Hospital. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, and forensic experts are on-site to ascertain the fire’s origin, as stated by officials.

Witnesses noted that the fire erupted unexpectedly on the building’s uppermost level, which houses a diverse population of around 1,500 residents.

Emirati officials have shared their condolences, stating, “We extend our deepest sympathies to the families of those who have lost their lives and share in their mourning during this difficult time.”

Updates will be provided as the investigation unfolds.

The most recent prior fire incident that resulted in the death of Pakistani nationals in the UAE occurred on January 25, 2024, according to reports from Gulf media outlets. In that incident, a fire in Sharjah’s Muwaileh area led to the tragic deaths of a Pakistani father and his 11-year-old daughter, while his wife and two other children suffered critical injuries and were hospitalized.

Earlier, in April 2023, a fire in a residential building in Dubai claimed 16 lives and injured nine others. This fire engulfed a five-story building in Dubai’s historic Al-Ras area, frequented by numerous migrant workers and traders, as reported by The National, a newspaper based in Abu Dhabi.

Sharjah is one of the seven emirates that comprise the UAE, where several residential complexes and hotels have faced fire incidents in recent years. In several of these cases, experts suggested that the spread of flames might have been exacerbated by the building’s exterior cladding.