Residents of fire-hit Dubai building face a Christmas to forget

One resident had just quit his job and was due to fly home for Christmas with his family but the fire destroyed everything he owned, and now he must remain in the UAE.

Dubai Civil Defence has not yet confirmed the cause of the fire at the apartment building in Deira. Antonie Robertson / The National
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DUBAI // A month on from a fire at Al Shamsi building in Deira the residents left homeless face a very different Christmas from the one they had dreamed of.

More than 100 people, many of them Filipinos, were forced out of their homes by the blaze in the multiblock apartment building on Salahuddin Road on November 23.

The rush-hour incident caused chaos for many as strong winds fuelled the flames, forcing an evacuation of the adjacent Movenpick Hotel.

Forty-eight families were moved into temporary accommodation and some are still searching for a permanent home, while others are still suffering the effects of smoke inhalation.

Carlo Joshua Caballes, 25, quit his job with Kuwait Airways just days before the fire, and was planning to return to the Philippines to spend Christmas with his family.

Those plans were cancelled and he is now hoping to spend the holiday with friends.

“I have had a lot of support from my friends but not much from elsewhere,” he said.

“I have been sleeping in different places, with friends. Without them, I would have nowhere to go. Everything I had was destroyed in the fire. I have no firm plans for Christmas.

“Some people have been offered an apartment to stay in but many of us are still homeless.”

There is hope for Mr Caballes, who plans to start working again soon on his own employment visa, distributing cleaning products in Dubai.

An investigation has taken place, but Dubai Civil Defence has not yet confirmed the cause of the fire.

Interior designer Jan Guillema, 36, also from the Philippines, was one of the lucky ones.

He feared the worst when he returned to the building two days after the fire to try to recover his possessions. He has found somewhere to live, renting a flat with friends behind the Marco Polo Hotel.

Mr Guillema was able to recover most of his possessions from his flat. “Most of my things were not burnt in the fire as our flat was at the back of the building,” he said.

“We had to leave some of the furniture behind, but we have recovered most of our personal possessions.

“Some of my neighbours are still living in the temporary homes offered by the landlord.

“They offered us one small studio flat, but it was too small for us so we have found somewhere else.”

Residents have said some of the worker accommodation supported up to 25 people in one flat.

The community has been supported by St Mary’s Catholic Church. Ministers there are holding a traditional service today, which is expected to be well attended by those who have received help from the church over the past month, as a show of thanks.

IT worker Mark Rondel Silvosa was one of the worst affected. Not only was everything he owned destroyed, but he also suffered smoke inhalation and needed treatment.

“I’m OK. Things are improving and I have found somewhere to stay,” he said.

“I had a bad reaction to the smoke, so health-wise, it was not good for me.

“I was at work when the fire started. I heard there was a fire but I didn’t know it was in my building. I only realised when I went home.

“Thank God, everything is OK now.”

Like many of his compatriots caught up in the fire, Mr Silvosa will be relying on the goodwill of friends to enjoy Christmas Day.

nwebster@thenational.ae