Police and onsite defense authorities did not comment on how the fire took place, and said that further investigation was required to ascertain the cause of the fire.
Fire fighters and civil defense authorities had to battle a fire that broke out in Sharjah’s industrial area for about eight hours today morning. The fire that gutted an auto and tire service station located near the Sharjah-Dubai (Al Nahda) border area, began at 4.15 am today, according to eyewitnesses.
Civil defense authorities from Ajman, Dubai and Sharjah were putting down flames even at 12 pm, close to seven hours after the fire broke out. The building that burnt down was a tire trading company called Al Aly Tyres Trading Establishment. Nearby shop owners and eyewitnesses said that the trading company was established over 10 years ago, and took care of service and repair of trucks and big motor vehicles. Police and onsite defense authorities did not comment on how the fire took place, and said that further investigation was required to ascertain the cause of the fire.
The street was cordoned off by the police, and neighboring shop owners said that they’ve suffered a day’s loss in business. The part of the street near the site of the fire was filled with debris and acrid smoke from burning tyres.
Rafeeq M, the owner of Gulf Light Cafeteria, a nearby eatery, said: “The trading company has been around since long before we opened our shop. The fire started in the early hours of the morning and probably because it is an old service station, must be the reason why it is taking fire fighters so long to put it down.”
Another eyewitness, Anil K, a worker at a nearby auto spare parts workshop, said: “Our business has suffered for a day and getting in and out of the area has also become a nightmare due to the bad traffic.”
Severe traffic snarls
Severe traffic snarls was reported in the morning rush hour. Commuters who took the industrial area route to Dubai said that they were stuck in traffic blocks for several hours.
Anil Gopalan, a resident of Abu Shagarah said: “I left for work at 6.45 am and I reached the office at 10.30 am. It was a bumper to bumper traffic block. There were moments when I just switched my car off and sat because I figured there is no point in wasting fuel.”
Dolly Gir, a teacher and another resident who was stuck in traffic in the afternoon hours, said: “The school bus left the school premises at 1.45 and we usually reach home by 2.20. Today I got home at 3. It was very tiring as well.”
