The Dubai Misdemeanor Court on Sunday heard the Al Quoz perfume factory fire case which claimed 11 lives in August.
The factory owner and manager defended himself and pleaded not guilty. He denied the charge of casuing accidental death of 11 people in the fire.
Sami Al Shamsi, Chief Prosecutor, Head of Bur Dubai Prosecution, in a mdeia statement said: We referred the suspect to the Misdemeanors Court for being liable for the death of 11 workers. During primary investigations, he admitted the workers had been living illegally in the factory's upper floor since six months before the fire. He alleged it was by chance, when he tried to store empty perfume bottles in the upper floor, that he discovered the workers had been staying there."
The 30-year-old Indian factory owner told the prosecution that he had asked the workers to find another accommodation but they had told him that they could not find another accommodation for convenient rent.
Prosecutor Issa Hassan Nasser, who investigated the case, said the owner also responsible for violating the practice code of managing hazardous material of Dubai Municipality when he stored chemicals in the factory.
Fire experts of Dubai Police confirmed the blaze spread to the stored chemicals as a result the workers could not exit the place.
An health and public safety officer at Dubai Municipality confirmed to the prosecution that the upper floor of the factory was used accommodation because beds and kitchen tools were found in the place.