Zen Tower tenants are eager to assess damage
dubai — A day after a residential building in Dubai Marina caught fire, tenants were told that they would be allowed to go back into their flats under “police supervision”. On Monday morning, several residents were outside the Zen Tower to try and assess how bad the damage to their property was.
According to a police official, 15 floors on the western side of the tower were gutted during the fire. “Tenants would gradually be allowed to enter the building safely to collect their belongings. We have the details of all the tenants and this information will be passed along to them,” said the officer.
A tenant, Indian expat Enakshi Manchanda, said from the outside, her apartment on the second floor looked completely destroyed. “We bought the apartment in October 2016. The property is insured but our personal items are not.”
dubai — Investigations are still ongoing into what caused the fire on Sunday morning at the Zen Tower in Dubai Marina. However, on Monday, several residents returned to the scene of the incident to try and assess how bad the damage to their property was.
A Dubai Police official confirmed to Khaleej Times that a total of 15 floors on the western side of the Zen Tower were gutted during the fire.
The Dubai Civil Defence has handed over the tower to the police to allow the forensic experts to investigate the cause of the fire. The official confirmed that tenants would gradually be allowed to enter the building safely to collect belongings. They have the details of all tenants and the information will be passed along to them.
Speaking to Khaleej Times at the site on Monday, Indian expat Enakshi Manchanda said from the outside, her apartment on the second floor looked completely destroyed.
“We bought the apartment in October 2016. The property is insured but our personal items are not. Yesterday, when the alarm went off all I could think about was saving myself, I didn’t grab any belongings.”
Celebrating her birthday next week, Manchanda said she was hoping to get away with her husband for a few days, but now fears the fire has destroyed her passport and other travel documents.
“To be honest, I doubt that will happen now, but that is the furthest thing from my mind. We just want to focus on getting some of our belongings out.”
The majority of residents from the building took refuge at the Ghaya Grand Hotel on Sunday evening. They will remain there until they have been given the go ahead to re-enter the apartment block.
Officials said that tenants are allowed to enter the tower as per the instructions from the police officers on site.
One resident who spoke to Khaleej Times from the hotel, R.K., said some residents visited the site late on Sunday evening. “We have no official update yet. A few people went to the site yesterday late evening and in the morning today but no information was given out on the state of the apartments, except that each apartment was watered down because of the smoke damage.”
A representative from Pristine Owners Association (the building management for Zen Tower) confirmed to Khaleej Times at lunchtime on Monday that forensic teams were inside the building since yesterday, conducting investigations into the cause of the blaze.
Throughout the day, several Dubai Police patrol officers were on site answering questions from Zen Tower occupants and guarding their belongings.
One resident raised a query about how he could access his medication, which was in his apartment, and the officer affirmed that they were doing all they can to “assist in getting urgent items to owners”.
“We have given apartment numbers and item details to those inside and we will try our best to locate necessary items to residents,” he said. (With inputs from Amira Agarib)
A few people went to the site yesterday late evening and in the morning today but no information was given out on the state of the apartments, except that each apartment was watered down because of the smoke damage.” R.K., resident