‘Police went door-to-door asking everyone to evacuate’
Residents were all in praise for the rescue personnel and their efficient way of handling a panic situation. They also commended some security guards who have been working round the clock, retiring only for a couple of hours to sleep.
Rejane, a Brazilian expat, who lives at Adriatic told Khaleej Times she was out on Monday night and when she arrived home, the police were already evacuating everyone. Thankfully, she said, the fire did not reach his apartment on the second floor.
Rejane, who spent the night at a nearby hotel, joined other residents who returned Tuesday morning but were not yet allowed to enter Adriatic building.
Authorities also did not give access to residents of adjoining Pacific tower to enter their apartments until a full damage report is out.
Russian expat Liubov Sdrandgrist, who lives at Atlantic (fourth building from Adriatic) said she was at home with her daughter when she heard
I did not hear the sound of the siren because my flat is almost sound-proof and when the police came, I immediately carried my daughter and we went out of the flat.”
Liubov Sdrandgrist,
loud knocks at her door.
“The police went door-to-door asking everyone to evacuate,” Sdrandgrist said. “I did not hear the sound of the siren or anything because my flat is almost soundproof and when the police came, I immediately carried my daughter and we went out of the flat.”
“The fire was out at around 2am and we were allowed to go back to our home but I decided to spend the night at a friend’s house. Thank God, the fire did not spread to other buildings,” Sdrandgrist added.
Ali, an Iranian expat, who lives at Pacific building praised “the professional handling of the situation by DCD personnel.”
“They did a good job in managing the crowd and this morning one of them even accompanied to check my flat,” Ali said.
A staff of Oceana also confirmed to Khaleej Times that only residents of Adriatic and Pacific are not yet allowed to return home as of Tuesday.
But residents of Carribbean and Atlantic towers were already back home early Tuesday morning, a resident confirmed to Khaleej Times.
A Singapore-based Filipino nanny said she has been in Dubai only for a couple of days and the “fire was certainly an experience (I) will never forget. But nothing of my belonging was damaged in the fire and I’m just waiting for my employers who will arrive in a couple of days and I will travel with them to Europe,” she said.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com
Russian expat