Emirati family lucky to be out when ceiling falls

An Emirati man, his wife and three children escaped when part of the ceiling of their shabby house in Umm Al Quwain collapsed while there were out. The accident forced them to be crammed in one room in the 30-year-old house.

The family members were outside home in the Shabiya Baida area when a large part of the sitting room’s ceiling collapsed and badly damaged other parts of the room, Albayan Arabic language daily said.

“We were out of the house when I received a call that the ceiling collapsed…we were visiting mother at hospital and I think it was God the Almighty’s will to save us from death,“ said the father, Ibrahim Rashid.

“We are now sheltering in one room and there are fears more parts of the house could collapse.”

Rashid said construction work being undertaken by a local company in the neighborhood and lack of maintenance are to blame for the house collapse.

“We have requested maintenance and are still waiting for nearly 10 years…I have no idea where to go in case the entire house comes down.”

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