DUBAI // Firefighters who battled the Sulafa Tower blaze will be recognised for saving the lives of many animals trapped in the 75-floor skyscraper.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) Asia-Pacific, an international animal rights organisation, will award Dubai Civil Defence for its efforts after receiving emails from tower residents praising firefighters. Peta said that the DCD would be sent a Hero to Animals Award and a letter.
“We found out about their heroic actions as a result of several kind residents, who emailed us about it over the weekend,” said Peta Asia-Pacific spokeswoman Ashley Fruno.
Last Wednesday’s fire in the Dubai Marina tower spread quickly, damaging apartments on at least eight floors. There were no human casualties.
Residents said that firefighters made countless trips up the building to rescue animals. But although some were brought down to safety, several pets died in the incident.
Carla Julian, a Sulafa Tower resident, said she saw firemen bringing animals to their relieved owners.
“We saw them bringing down birds, cats and dogs,” she said. “Some pets were in their carriers, while others were brought down in laundry baskets or their kitty litter boxes. Some were also carried by hand.”
Jason Baker, Peta Asia-Pacific’s vice president of international operations, said that the DCD’s compassion and heroism was an inspiration.
“Residents of Dubai are very fortunate to have emergency service personnel who are ready to protect both its human and animal residents,” he said.
A DCD spokesman said that it was the duty of firefighters to save lives – and that duty was not limited to human lives.
“This is not the first time. It is our duty to protect lives and souls, and this is not just -humans we’re talking about but animals and even plants,” he said. “These are all part of the complete circle of the universe.”
He also said that the DCD had been involved in a number of animal rescue cases.
“We have received calls in the past to rescue animals in distraught situations, such as a cat being stuck in a high tree or an animal stuck somewhere,” said the spokesman.
Mr Baker said that the firefighters had set a tremendous example for others to follow.
“We each must always come to the aid of animals in distress,” he said. “The city is lucky to have such kind emergency responders, who do not hesitate to help humans or animals in need.”
Meanwhile, some residents of Sulafa Tower have moved back in their apartments and said they were slowly readjusting to their new situation.
Ms Julian, who lives on the 23rd floor and who took her cat down to ground level herself when the fire took hold, said that her apartment was unaffected but she had only just returned to it because of the smell.
“There’s still a very strong smell in the corridor but both my cat, Miss Bradshaw, and I are readjusting and slowly getting back to normal,” she said. “You could still see the sad faces, people recovering from the damaged apartments, there’s an awful lot of loss, property and personal effects.”
But Lebanese Mazen Slim, who lives in a duplex on the 74th and 75th floors, said that he would not be able to move back into his apartment for at least another two weeks.
“I was abroad and got back yesterday and I thought that my apartment was not affected but the parquet floors are all black, the AC units are affected and, because of the smell, it is not liveable,” he said.
“I’m fortunate that it’s material things and it is unfortunate that some pets died and some had to be hospitalised.”
Mr Slim, who is staying at his brother’s house, said he hoped to move back in as soon as possible.
dmoukhallati@thenational.ae
