A fire at a residential building in Dubai has killed at least 16 people and injured nine others. According to local media, the fire broke out yesterday afternoon (local time) on the fourth floor of a house in the popular Al-Ras district in the old part of the city.
Initial investigations revealed that the fire was caused by “inadequate compliance with building safety regulations,” the media reported, citing a civil defense statement.
The nationality of the victims was not known. Dubai, one of the seven United Arab Emirates, has around 3.3 million inhabitants – almost 90 percent are foreigners. In 2017, authorities announced stricter building codes to minimize the risk of fire. Fires are often caused by highly flammable materials on the outer cladding of buildings.
