Two workers missing in Dubai warehouse fire

Monday, Sep 23, 2013

Pics by Abdel Krim Kallouche and Zarina Fernandes and supplied

Dubai: Two workers are unaccounted for after a huge fire gutted a clothes warehouse and factory in Dubai on Sunday morning, officials said.

Dubai Civil Defence said a manager of the Sana fashions “distribution centre,” in Al Qouz Industrial Area 3, has confirmed two employees are missing. All others managed to escape the blaze.

Officials added it was not clear if the duo were inside or outside of the facility, which workers said went up in flames around 10.30am on Sunday.

The facility is located behind Al Barsha traffic department on Shaikh Zayed Road. Police said the fire completely destroyed the factory and warehouse.

It is not yet clear what caused the fire.

Major General Rashid Thani Al Matrooshi, Director of Dubai Civil Defence Department, said that Civil Defence’s fire fighters were searching for the two workers. He added that the manger of the factory confirmed that two of his workers are missing.

However, a manager declined to comment when Gulf News visited the scene around midday.

“We are now cooling the area in order to start inspecting the place to find if the workers are inside or not. We will find out soon,” Al Matrooshi said.

He said police are also investigating the cause of the fire and will estimate the damage. The warehouse and the factory were reportedly used to make women’s clothes.

Firefighters were seen battling the huge fire, which did not spread to the adjacent Modern Bakery branch on Street 6b.

A Modern Bakery security guard said he heard a loud explosion about an hour after the blaze started. “It was probably a gas cylinder going off in the extreme heat of the fire. Everyone in the area came to have a look,” he said.

Police cordoned off the area quickly. At least six fire trucks and several police, ambulance and rescue units were at the scene midday.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

A thick plume of smoke was seen rising from the area, lined with several warehouses and workshops. Traffic on Shaikh Zayed Road, Umm Suqiem Road and internal roads near the charred facility came to a virtual stop as motorists slowed to gawk and take pictures.

Police were also seen directing traffic in the area.

By Bassma Al Jandaly?Community and Crime ?Correspondent ?and Faisal Masudi?Staff Reporter