Tenants of an eight-storey Dubai building engulfed in flames on Sunday night knocked on neighbours doors to alert them of the danger after fire alarms failed to sound.
A large blaze spread rapidly through the mid-rise tower in Al Barsha, located near to the Mall of Emirates, at about 10.30pm, as many of its occupants slept.
The fire broke out at the Time Topaz Hotel Apartments at about 10.33pm, with teams from Dubai Civil Defence arriving within five minutes to battle the intense blaze.
No one was injured, authorities told The National. Staff at a nearby hotel said that some of the affected residents have been moved to their property.
A man, who witnessed the incident, said firefighters quickly arrived on the scene.
"I had gone to the Mall of the Emirates to pick up my daughter when I saw the huge fire. It was spreading fast, and the fire crew efficiently contained it from spreading to the back of the building," he told The National.
At 11.48pm the fire was brought under control and cooling operations were under way, authorities said.
Tenants say fire alarms didn't go off
Some tenants told The National that the fire alarms did not go off and they had to knock on doors to alert fellow residents.
Mohamed Faslin, a Sri Lankan expat who lives on the sixth floor, said he didn't know about the fire until someone knocked on his door. “Once I got out, I also went about knocking on my neighbours' doors to help them get out.” The 32-year-old, who works for a restaurant, has been living in the building for the past three months.
Saroja Mahatara, a tenant from Nepal, said she was asleep when the fire broke out. “There was no fire alarm. If Mohamed hadn’t knocked on our door and woke us up, we wouldn’t have known anything,” she told The National.
Another tenant from Nepal, Yubraz Dsital, said he woke up hearing loud screams. "I immediately rushed out of the building,” he said, adding that he saw many of his neighbours had made it out safely. He expressed concern about finding temporary accommodation while waiting for clearance from the officials to return to his apartment.
Ravi Kumar, an Indian tenant, said some people who lived in the apartment block had moved to nearby hotels and hotel apartments, while others were provided buses by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority to rest in.
There is heavy police presence at the site, with no tenants allowed back into the building yet.
"The site has been handed over to the relevant authorities to determine the cause of the fire," a spokesperson from the Dubai Civil Defence added.
On Sunday, fire crews tackled a blaze on a boat docked beside a marine petrol station in Dubai Marina Harbour.
The incident sent smoke billowing across the area but was extinguished within half an hour, civil defence said.
With reporting by Ali Al Shouk
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Dust storm
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- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Three-day coronation
Royal purification
The entire coronation ceremony extends over three days from May 4-6, but Saturday is the one to watch. At the time of 10:09am the royal purification ceremony begins. Wearing a white robe, the king will enter a pavilion at the Grand Palace, where he will be doused in sacred water from five rivers and four ponds in Thailand. In the distant past water was collected from specific rivers in India, reflecting the influential blend of Hindu and Buddhist cosmology on the coronation. Hindu Brahmins and the country's most senior Buddhist monks will be present. Coronation practices can be traced back thousands of years to ancient India.
The crown
Not long after royal purification rites, the king proceeds to the Baisal Daksin Throne Hall where he receives sacred water from eight directions. Symbolically that means he has received legitimacy from all directions of the kingdom. He ascends the Bhadrapitha Throne, where in regal robes he sits under a Nine-Tiered Umbrella of State. Brahmins will hand the monarch the royal regalia, including a wooden sceptre inlaid with gold, a precious stone-encrusted sword believed to have been found in a lake in northern Cambodia, slippers, and a whisk made from yak's hair.
The Great Crown of Victory is the centrepiece. Tiered, gold and weighing 7.3 kilograms, it has a diamond from India at the top. Vajiralongkorn will personally place the crown on his own head and then issues his first royal command.
The audience
On Saturday afternoon, the newly-crowned king is set to grant a "grand audience" to members of the royal family, the privy council, the cabinet and senior officials. Two hours later the king will visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred space in Thailand, which on normal days is thronged with tourists. He then symbolically moves into the Royal Residence.
The procession
The main element of Sunday's ceremonies, streets across Bangkok's historic heart have been blocked off in preparation for this moment. The king will sit on a royal palanquin carried by soldiers dressed in colourful traditional garb. A 21-gun salute will start the procession. Some 200,000 people are expected to line the seven-kilometre route around the city.
Meet the people
On the last day of the ceremony Rama X will appear on the balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace at 4:30pm "to receive the good wishes of the people". An hour later, diplomats will be given an audience at the Grand Palace. This is the only time during the ceremony that representatives of foreign governments will greet the king.
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Get inspired
Here are a couple of Valentine’s Day food products that may or may not go the distance (but have got the internet talking anyway).
Sourdough sentiments: Marks & Spencer in the United Kingdom has introduced a slow-baked sourdough loaf dusted with flour to spell out I (heart) you, at £2 (Dh9.5). While it’s not available in the UAE, there’s nothing to stop you taking the idea and creating your own message of love, stencilled on breakfast-inbed toast.
Crisps playing cupid: Crisp company Tyrells has added a spicy addition to its range for Valentine’s Day. The brand describes the new honey and chilli flavour on Twitter as: “A tenderly bracing duo of the tantalising tingle of chilli with sweet and sticky honey. A helping hand to get your heart racing.” Again, not on sale here, but if you’re tempted you could certainly fashion your own flavour mix (spicy Cheetos and caramel popcorn, anyone?).
About Karol Nawrocki
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• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
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