Student’s death fuels doubts on college’s safety

The death of a 19-year-old Emirati student at the Fujairah Higher Colleges of Technology this week has tariggered controversy on whether the building is safe as police pursue an investigation into the accident.

College students, quoted by the Arabic language daily 'Emarat Al Youm', described the building as of low quality and said heavy rain this week smashed glass windows and led to the collapse of the college’s mosque ceiling.But college officials denied such allegations, saying there were no collapse incidents although they admitted there were water leakages into the building.Contrary to earlier press reports that the victim, Subeiha Ali Al Mahrazi, was heading for the nearby car park when she was struck by lightning, friends said she was killed inside the college’s corridor.

Subeiha just finished class and was walking to the coffee shop inside the college with her friend, Afayef, when lighting struck.“Subeiha fell on her back and Afayef followed….Afayef then got up and tried to help Subeiha, who was not moving and whose eyes were wide open….Afayef then realised that Subeiha was dead,” said Afayef’s sister, Aysha Al Hadadi.

Afayef and six other female students were injured in the lighting during heavy rain that lashed the emirate this week. All of them were treated at the Fujairah hospital and were discharged the next day.

'Emarat Al Youm' said the college was closed for one day because of the “bad psychological condition” of the students as a result of the accident.But college officials denied reports circulated online that part of the building collapsed although they admitted there were water leakages.“The civil defence and police were there at the time of the accident and they can deny all these rumors,” an unnamed official told the paper.

“As for demands to install anti-lighting rods on the building, this is not up to the college but for the competent authorities.”The paper quoted a student, identified as AN, as saying the quality of the college building is poor, adding that the storm smashed many glass windows and led to the collapse of the roof of the mosque inside the college.“We were sitting at the café when water began to drop on us,” the paper quoted another student, FR, as saying. “The college is also overcrowded after many students from the Emirates University were transferred to it….there is no room for all students to study and rest…..some of them just sit in the corridors.

”Quoted by the paper, Lt Colonel Saeed Al Yamahi, head of the special task division at Fujairah police, denied reports that Subeiha and Afayef had their mobile phones when they were struck by lightning.“They did not have any mobile phone with them…according to doctors, they were struck directly by lightning….we are continuing our investigation into the accident and will issue a report later,” he said.