Departure of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger would have become effective next month, one year after their initial January 2024 announcements
africa58 minutes ago
A fire broke out in an apartment building opposite an Al Ghurair mall at around noon on Monday. No casualties were reported.
The fire reportedly sparked from an AC unit on the fourth floor of the building. The apartment was apparently being shared by a group of bachelors mostly from India and Pakistan.
Some of them whom Khaleej Times spoke to said they were just getting ready for work when they heard a loud bang from the AC unit. Dressed in his uniform, Rahil (name changed), who works at a food joint, said the fire spread quickly since there were a lot of wooden partitions in the apartment, not giving them enough time to collect their belongings.
Mary G, a Filipino, who lived on the same floor with her family, was standing outside the building with her one-year-old in her one hand and some diapers in the other.
"I had just given a shower to my baby when I could smell smoke, shortly after which the building alarm went off. When I opened the door, I saw black smoke billowing out of the flat opposite to mine. I got so scared that I just grabbed my baby and rushed out. I know some bachelors were living in that apartment but don't know the exact cause of the fire. I hope our belongings are safe," she said, hugging her little one.
A number of ambulances, police patrol vehicles and fire engines reached the spot in less that 15 minutes and evacuated the four-floor building.
Talking to Khaleej Times, a Civil Defence spokesperson confirmed the minor blaze in the balcony of a flat that was contained within 15 minutes - without injuries.
saman@khaleejtimes.com
(With inputs from Hesham Salah)
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