Daijiworld Media Network - Sharjah (SHP)
Sharjah, May 10: A new development has come to light relating to the cause of the fire that erupted in Sharjah's Abbco Tower. A carelessly tossed cigarette butt is being considered to be the cause of the massive fire that broke out in Sharjah's residential building, a report by Khaleej Times stated.
Reportedly, a top official claimed that it was indeed a lit cigarette butt that was discarded in the corridor of the first floor which could have been the cause of the catastrophe.
The horrific incident of the fire engulfing the 49-storey Abbco Tower in Al Nahda on May 5, left several families homeless.
Over 12 people were injured in the disaster, with seven people getting treated on the site, and five others seeking urgent care being rushed to the hospital.
Civil Defence staff from stations such as Mina and Al Nahda were deployed to douse the blaze following a call to the police operations room. The quick response by the authorities helped in containing the fire.
Officials earlier said the fire spread quickly as the building was covered with the banned 'aluminium composite cladding'. In January this year, the Sharjah Police had maintained that negligently discarded lit cigarette butts were among the top causes of fires in the emirate.
More than 250 families were evacuated from the 49-storey building, which consists of 36 residential floors and 20 levels of car parking, and which was constructed in 2006.