Sharjah Building Fire: Some Residents Unable To Access Belongings As 1,500 Tenants Begin Returning

As over 1,500 tenants of a fire-hit building in Sharjah gradually return to their homes, some are still relying on the kindness of friends and authorities for shelter.

The deadly fire, which broke out on one of the top floors of the 52-storey residential building in Al Nahda, left five dead and 19 injured.

The floor where the fire originated remains sealed as authorities investigate the cause and assess the damage. While access to floors above the 30th level remained restricted on April 13, other residents were gradually allowed to return to their apartments in phases.

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Hundreds of tenants were evacuated as smoke and flames engulfed the upper levels of the high-rise. Many escaped without any of their belongings, including passports, IDs, and cash.

Anto Bamigboye, a Nigerian expat, said the fire started on the floor he lived on. After escaping the blaze, he and his wife are now staying in a hotel.

“When the fire broke out, we didn't even know it had started on our floor. We were inside. Suddenly, thick smoke came through the hallway and people were shouting for us to leave. I hurried with my wife, and we rushed out without even putting on our shoes,” he said.

Once Anto and his wife were outside, they realised it was their floor that had caught fire.“Since then, we've been moved to a hotel arranged by the authorities. It's better than the streets, but it's not home. We don't have access to any of our things. I spend my day making calls to the building management - for help, for updates, for anything.”

John Akintola, who lives on the 40th floor, was out buying groceries when the fire broke out.

“We saw smoke coming out of the top floors. It took us a few seconds to realise it was just above our floor. My hands started trembling,” John recalled.

“By the time we got closer, the building was being evacuated. We weren't allowed to go up. Our wallets, house keys, phone chargers - everything was inside. A close friend who lives two blocks away offered to take us in for the night. We were five people (and the original tenant) staying in a two-bedroom apartment. The next day, we were allowed to return to our home.”

Mohammed, a 38-year-old Zimbabwean expat working at a mall in Dubai, is currently staying put at a nearby mosque with his flatmate.

“I was sleeping when the fire broke out. The moment I heard the alarms and screams of other tenants, I didn't think twice - I just ran outside. The entire floor was covered in smoke, and everyone was panicking. I couldn't pick up anything. The only belonging I have is the clothes I was wearing when I exited the building,” he said.

Kind strangers have been offering them food and clothes.“We keep thinking about the flat, our passports, IDs, clothes - everything is just locked inside. After every prayer, I walk to the building to ask the guards if we can go up. The answer is always no,” added Mohammed.

A security guard at the building, who did not wish to be identified, said the authorities moved swiftly to contain the fire.

“After the fire was brought under control and cooling operations were completed, the police and civil defence teams instructed us to begin allowing residents back into the building.

“It was only late in the evening on Tuesday, maybe around 7pm, that the first few residents were let back in-but only up to a few floors. The lifts weren't operating beyond that. Later, floors up to the 43rd were also opened. But the 44th floor is completely sealed; no one is allowed to go there.”

The guard said some tenants are still wearing the same clothes they had on when they escaped.“They keep asking when they can go up to get their things.”

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Sharjah Police said they are still investigating the cause of the fire.

The casualties included four people who reportedly fell to their deaths while attempting to escape the flames, along with a Pakistani man in his forties who died of cardiac arrest, believed to have been triggered by the shock of the incident.

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