A MAN in Sharja and his 11-year-old daughter died of suffocation after a fire broke out in an apartment building in Sharjah in the early hours today, officials have confirmed.
The man’s wife is in a critical condition and has been admitted to the ICU of Al Qassimi Hospital, they said.
Two other children of the couple, agirl aged nine and boy aged five, who were also rushed to the hospital with symptoms of suffocation, are now recovering.
The apartment is located on the third floor of the building in Muwaileh area, Brigadier Sami Khamis Al Naqbi, director-general of Sharjah Civil Defence told Gulf News. “The fire broke out in this apartment on the third floor of the building and the smoke spread to the whole building,” he said, adding other tenants were evacuated from the three-storeyed building immediately.
Brigadier Al Naqbi said the fire broke out around 2.08am and firefighters reached the site at 2.12am . The cause of the fire was not immediately known and the forensic team has taken over the site for investigation. The quick response from the authorities managed to contain the blaze within two minutes after reaching the spot.
Police have cordoned off the area and sealed the building.
The National Ambulance team was also at the spot. A representative from the Sharjah Social Services Department – Child and Family Protection Centre also swung into action to take care of the children recovering from suffocation.
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