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29 March 2024

Al Quoz warehouses ‘to blaze for two days’

Published
By Mariam Hanafy

(BAHA AL NAJJAR)   

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Blazes caused by yesterday’s devastating explosion in Dubai will take at least two days to extinguish completely.

 

The site of the illegal fireworks factory in Al Quoz - the source of the explosion - is now cooling, but firefighters are still working to make the surrounding area safe.

 

Colonel Ahmad Al Sayegh of Dubai Civil Defence, who is currently stationed at the site of the explosion, spoke to Emirates Business about what is being done to ensure the safety and security of the area.

 

He confirmed that 83 warehouses in total had caught fire. Damaged and burnt stationery supplies, children’s toys and furniture could be seen littering the site of the explosion. Several cargo trailers were burnt out and still emitted very hot smoke 24 hours after officials announced the fire extinguished. Firemen on the site on Thursday said that the situation had only been put under control this morning.

 

Al Sayegh described the size of the burnt area to be approximately 800m by 400m, and confided that he had never worked on a fire this big. He denied that more than two people were killed in the accident, as previously reported. “After the cooling process started, I personally went inside [the warehouses]. I didn’t see anything,” said Al Sayegh.

 

Dubai Police, who will be handed over the site of the explosion for investigation after the Civil Defence have finished the cooling process, said that there was no change in the number of fatalities.