(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Following the fire that ripped through the Torch tower in the Dubai Marina during the early hoursFriday, nearby residents stepped up to accommodate affected tenants as quickly as possible.
Brigadier Khalil Al Mansouri, head of CID at Dubai Police said that the cause of the fire is still unknown. CID teams are on site to determine the cause of the fire.When experts are done with their work, residents are expected to be allowed to return to their apartments as soon as possible, by today if possible.
He also added that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, himself ensured that tenants be sheltered in the best of hotels. Repair work will also start as soon as possible, under the tower's insurance company
UAE radio station Dance FM staffhelped, for example, helped in housing 60 people during the day of the fire in two nearby hotels
Theo Makris Managing Director of the radio station, has been residing in the building next to Torch Tower for five years. Witnessing the fire that happened back in 2015 andFriday'sfire, he said, "It was shocking to see fire happening again and I could see the first-hand devastation. I knew we had to help somehow."
The staff contacted their partners Media One and Radisson Blu and arranged temporary residency for 60 of the affected residents by9pmon Friday.
"It was an emotional day, people we frightened and some were crying. They felt overall grateful that they had a place to stay after the taunting experience. It gave them some time to relax, gather their thoughts and figure out what to do next," said Makris.
He praised the work of the Dubai Civil Defense forputting out the fire quickly without injuries or casualties.
"The fire department did a great job in getting people out on time. And they stayed to support people and make sure everyone was doing fine," noted Markis.
His colleagueDigby Taylor, head of the station, was a former tenant at Torch Tower who experienced the first fire two years ago.
"I witnessed it before, so I sympathized with residents who had to experience it again," said Taylor, who left the Torch Tower four months after the first fire happened.
Now a resident at Jumeirah Village Circle, he said he decided to do something to give back the community. "I contacted [Theo] and we agreed to find tenants somewhere to stay. Our Marketing Manager Natasha Talebli, lost no time in making the arrangements," he said.
Recalling the experience of the first fire, Taylor said, "It is frightening. When you're asked to evacuate, you take whatever you can take with you."
He added, "When you rush through the emergency exit, there are hundreds of people behind you, the stairs are steep and everyone is panicking."
Taylor likened it to the "Titanic" ship-drowning crisis that happened back in 1912.
"You're leaving and you have no idea what will happen next. And once you get outside, you wonder what to do. People are frightened and you cannot go back inside the building because it is unsafe," said Taylor.
The Torch Tower went up in flames back in February 2015. More than 1,000 people were evacuated from the 1,105-foot tall building. According to Kingfield Owner Association Management Services, the building management company for The Torch Tower, "most of the damage was limited to the exterior cladding."
Firefighters rushed to the scene at12:49amon Fridayand controlled the fire by2:58am, after evacuating people as soon as possible.
Some expats in the Dubai Marina area have also offered their homes to affected Torch Tower residents. British-Egyptian expat Ahmed Ali postedFridaymorning on his Facebook account, "If you know anyone affected by this fire and is in need of assistance or a place to stay then please let me know."
Sherouk Zakaria "Born and raised in UAE, Sherouk Zakaria is a Senior Correspondent at Khaleej Times. Joined since May 2016, she covers Dubai Municipality, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), special events and humanitarian issues. Her choice of journalism as a career stems from her passion of telling people's stories and writing to inspire or make a difference. In her free time, she's an occasional theater and film actress. Sherouk received her BA in Mass Communications from the American University in Sharjah in 2013. Before joining Khaleej Times, she was a senior lifestyle/entertainment editor for a magazine in Dubai."
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