In pictures: Dubai tower fire residents assess damage

Arun Muralidhar, centre, carries suitcases from his apartment in Tamweel Tower in Jumeirah Lakes Towers in Dubai.

A Tamweel Tower resident returns from her apartment with her pets. Tenants were granted access into the fire damaged building in Dubai one floor at a time from around 1pm.

Civil Defence gave them each about 10 minutes to collect their valuables and inspect the condition of their apartments.

There was confusion as police ruled midway through the day that people living above the 22nd floor would need to sign a waver at Jebel Ali police station stating they’re entering the building at their own risk.

A group of residents from Tamweel Tower, as well as the nearby Al Seef buildings, set up a stall in the corner of the car park and offered tea and biscuits to those waiting.

The majority of residents found their apartments still intact.

Those living on the north facing side of the building, above the 10th floor suffered significant damage to their homes.

Jim and Jane Bishop return from their apartment with blackened hands. Mr Bishop managed only to salvage passports and two bags of clothes from his 12th floor apartment. “It’s completely gone, the smoke destroyed everything,” he said.

A Civil Defence spokesman said today that police officials will initially investigate the cause of the fire.

When the fire broke out on Sunday, fire fighters from six stations arrived at the scene at 1.51am. “They were able to control and limit the fire at about 8.19am so that it did not spread to other buildings,” the Civil Defence said in a statement.

The cause of the fire is still unknown. However, a security guard working in the area - who declined to be named - said it may have been due to an electrical fault on the roof.

The clean-up from the fire continues.

Workers remove debris near a burnt out car outside Tamweel Tower.

Tamweel Tower in Dubai's Jumeirah Lakes Towers pictured on Monday November 19, 2012.