16 dead in fire at Dubai apartment building
Sixteen people are dead and nine others injured after a fire at a residential building in Dubai, local media report.
The blaze happened in the Al- Ras area, one of the oldest parts of Dubai. It is home to many migrant workers and traders.
The fire broke out on the fourth floor of the five-storey building, according to local media reports.
Dubai Civil Defence said it was caused by a lack of compliance with building security and safety requirements.
Fire crews arrived on the scene at 12:41 local time (09:41 GMT) on Saturday.
The Al-Ras area is near the city’s gold and spice markets, which are popular tourist attractions.
Dubai Civil Defence said an investigation into the deadly blaze was underway.
It said it was important that “residential and commercial building owners and residents” fully comply “with security and safety requirements and guidelines to avoid accidents and protect people’s lives”.
Among the dead are four Indian and three Pakistani nationals, local media say.
No one has yet been arrested as part of the investigation.—BBC
