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19 March 2024

Another night fire horror in JLT high-rise: Cigarette butt sparks 38-storey evacuation

Published
By Majorie van Leijen

A fire erupted in a garbage chute of 38-storey Armada Tower 3 in Jumeirah Lake Towers on Tuesday evening.

The fire erupted at around 8.30pm and was caused by a burning cigarette butt that was thrown into the garbage chute on the ground floor.

Upon hearing the fire alarm residents immediately evacuated the building. The fire was said to be small and was brought under control.

Ironically, some of these residents had just escaped the large-scale fire that broke out in Tamweel Tower two weeks ago.

"It is traumatic. The moment me and my husband heard the alarm we did not wait for a moment and immediately left our apartment. The only thing we thought was: 'not again'," says Afsana,  an ex-resident of Tamweel Tower on the 33rd floor.

Quite a few residents of Tamweel Tower were provided temporary accommodation in Armada 3. "This is actually hilarious," jokes a relieved Afsana.

The residents of the 38-storey building had nothing to worry about as the fire was put out quickly.

Terry Johnson, Senior Fire Service Advisor at the Operational Department of Civil Defence, said: "Firemen arrived within minutes and we received a call that the situation was under control five minutes later." .

But ever since the Tamweel Tower blaze JLT residents are extra alert. "When I saw the fire fighters arrive I went down directly. I wanted to know if it was anything serious, and my car is parked next to Armada 3. But the firemen told me that the fire had already been put out," tells Inga Ustsinava.

For Afsana the fun of living in high rise buildings is gone. "I always enjoyed living on high floors of high rise buildings, but I think I have grown out of it. In Armada 3 we are on the 10th floor; we were a little better off this time."

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