The owner of the UAE warehouse involved in this morning's devastating fire was operating illegally and could be in for a Dh100,000 fine, official sources told Emirates Business.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, sources claimed the depot where a massive fire in Al Quoz broke out on Wednesday could only have been operating illegally as the UAE government does not allow dangerous materials such as explosives and fireworks to be kept in unsecured facilities.

A senior official, who requested not to be identified, confirmed the Al Quoz storage facility was not licenced and the fireworks stored in the depot came from China. When asked if the firecrackers were smuggled into the country, the official said “it is hard to say that but it may be possible.”
 
An industry source agreed that the involved company was operating “underground”.

“This company obviously did not have the appropriate licence. The UAE maintains a highly stringent policy when it comes to explosive materials,” he said.

There are no fireworks manufacturing plants in the UAE, and pyrotechnic materials are imported from overseas.

The UAE’s Federal Law No. 11 of 1976 prescribes a hefty fine of as much as Dh100,000 and imprisonment of up to six months for people who violate the country’s firearms, ammunition and explosives law.