An air-conditioning unit that caught fire in a 27-storey residential tower in Dubai on Saturday resulted in the evacuation of 250 residents and the hospitalisation of two women, officials have said.
Thirty five residents from Spring Oasis Tower in Silicon Oasis were treated for smoke inhalation at the spot, while a pregnant woman was taken to Latifa Hospital for a more serious treatment, Dubai Civil Defence told Gulf News.
Another woman was also taken to the hospital after she fractured a leg during the building’s evacuation.
Firefighters and paramedics rushed to the scene shortly after the fire was reported at 5.43pm and brought it under control in an estimated 35 minutes, a Dubai Civil Defence spokesperson said.
He added the fire did not spread beyond the room it was in, but thick smoke had quickly spread through the AC system. He said an investigation into the cause of the fire is still ongoing.
An emergency ambulance specialist also revealed there was a delay in the evacuation process due to residents not taking the fire alarm seriously and remaining indoors.
“Dubai Civil Defence did a great job in handling the incident and ensuring everything was under control in the shortest time frame, however, the issue was mainly with many residents who did not take the fire alarm seriously,” said head of the emergency department at Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services, Ahmad Al Aji.
Al Aji said called on residents to leave the premises as soon as possible once a fire alarm goes off and to use the fire exists to do so.
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