Sharjah begins fire safety inspections in buildings after series of blazes
Sharjah government on Tuesday launched a 'large-scale field inspection campaign' to assess early fire warning systems in residential buildings and facilities across the emirate as the summer season sets in.
There have been many instances of fire breaking out in the emirate so far this year. As reported by Khaleej Times, a fire broke out in a Sharjah petrochemical and fibreglass facility on May 25. Another fire broke out in a fruits and vegetables warehouse located in Sharjah's industrial area 15 on April 13. On the same day, in a tragic incident, five residents were killed after a blaze erupted on the 44th floor of a 52-storey tower in Al Nahda.
Temperatures in the UAE crossed 50°C earlier this week, reaching 51.6°C on Saturday.
The first phase of the campaign — launched by Saned Facility Management, the Sharjah Civil Defence Authority and the Sharjah Prevention and Safety Authority — will focus on technical faults in early warning systems in the buildings, based on data provided by the 'Aman' system.
This Aman system links fire alarm systems in facilities to the operations room of the General Directorate of Civil Defence and Saned's operations room, providing accurate data and indicators that contribute to the early detection of faults, to reduce response times to fire incidents.
Sharjah authorities said they are contacting property owners and operators and informing them of the importance of adhering to periodic maintenance through companies approved by the Civil Defence so that repairs are carried out efficiently.
Eng. Hamid Al Zarouni, managing director of Saned, said Aman is 'considered one of the key pillars of the smart protection system implemented across buildings and facilities in Sharjah".
He said the system plays a vital role in minimising the risk and occurrence of fires by enabling rapid response from rescue and firefighting teams at the Sharjah Civil Defence Authority, thereby helping to prevent human and material losses through early fire detection.
He urged property owners, developers, and management and operations companies to contact qualified and approved service providers to carry out and continue preventive maintenance operations, ensuring the protection of lives and assets.
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