A firefighter uses his axe to break open a window after a fire broke out in Al Manama Supermarketat a 19-floor building on Sharjah’s Al Arouba Street on Friday evening.
Sharjah - The fire, which erupted at Al Manama Supermarket located on Al Arouba Street, gutted one shop.
Published: Sat 15 Apr 2017, 10:47 AM
Updated: Sat 15 Apr 2017, 11:13 PM
Two Asian men suffocated to death and five others received injuries after a massive fire broke out in a 19-floor building in Sharjah on Friday evening.
The fire, which erupted at Al Manama Supermarket located on Al Arouba Street, gutted one shop. While three injured men remain serious, the other two are in a stable condition.
Residents of the building where the fire broke out wait as firefighters battle the blaze. Apartments were not damaged in the fire.
According to Sharjah Civil Defence, the fire, which started at Al Manama Supermarket, spread quickly to the apartments in the upper floor. Residents were evacuated from the building and shopping centre and electricity was disconnected for the safety of residents. However, it did not cause severe damages to the apartments in the building.
The officials said the operation room of the civil defence received a call at 12.30am about the fire. After the cooling operations, which ended at 1am, the power was restored and the residents returned to their apartments.
Firefighters reached the site and contained the fire in half an hour to prevent it from spreading to other outlets. During the rescue operation, the police closed down Al Arooba Street and diverted the traffic heading towards Ajman to Corniche Road.
What to do if a fire breaks out
> Stay low and crawl to an exit: To avoid smoke inhalation, stay as low to the ground as possible. Smoke inhalation can cause you to lose consciousness, and the freshest air will be closest to the ground
> Always have a plan B: In the unlikely event that an escape route is blocked, make sure you have a backup plan. If an escape route is blocked try to do everything you can to let any emergency responders know where you are. If you are stuck in a room, cover all vents, close the door and put a towel, clothes, or anything on hand that can suitably cover any cracks around it
> Know your surroundings: If you are escaping from a fire in a highrise building, try and familiarise yourself with its floorplan and evacuation routes. Know the shortest and fastest path to the nearest stairwell or exit
> Feel doorknobs to see if they’re hot: Never open a door if the doorknob feels hot. That means there’s most likely a fire behind it. If your primary means of escape is blocked by a hot doorknob or other obvious sign of fire, find an alternate route or a window.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com
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