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The rescue team climbed the stairs up to 63 floors amid heavy smoke to ensure that no one is trapped
If it took only 20 minutes to evacuate the residents of The
Address Hotel on that ill-fated night, the rescue team had to spend more
than 20 hours at the fire scene. This includes, several officials who
stayed back at the fire scene until the cooling work finished, giving
proper guidance as well as leading them from the front.
Khaleej Times talked with a few top officials to know how they worked
amid falling flames to rescue women, children and the elderly from the
hotel.
Huge and medium flames from the falling debris fell on some of the
rescuers including Major Ahmed Atiq Bu Rouqaiba, Acting Director of
Rescue and Search Team of Operation Room of the Dubai Police, whose was
injured.
Major-General Anas Al Matroushi, Director of Operations for Transport
and Rescue of the Dubai Police, said that the evacuation process was an
unforgettable humanitarian incident, as it involved number of children,
women and elderly people.
He said that the rescue team had to calm them down until they got out of the hotel, which was engulfed by smoke and fire.
Interestingly, they had to wake up a woman who was in deep sleep,
when the fire broke out and despite alarm bells ringing. She was the
last person to rescue from the inferno.
He added that the Chairman of Disaster Committee Major General Khamis
Mattar Al Mazeina has spent more than 20 hours at the fire scene and he
directed the entire operation.
"We expected him to leave in the morning, however, he continued until the cooling operation ensured that the site is safe."
Major Ahmed Atiq said: "I was on my annual leave and when I learnt
about the fire and I headed to the fire scene to assist my colleagues
and perform my national duty. While I was checking the building with
Major General Anas Al Matroushi and Acting Director of Rescue Section
Major Khaled Mohammed, huge explosion occurred and we saw three falling
flames came towards us and the bigger one passed between me and Al
Matroushi and the second passed over our heads and third one fell on my
left hand, which needed a small surgery. Luckily, nothing fell on our
head."
Khaled Mohammed said: "Our team climbed the stairs up to 63 floors
amid heavy smoke to ensure that no one is trapped and the last person to
evacuate was a woman who was sleeping when the fire erupted."
Al Matroushi attributed the successful rescue operation to
coordinated work between the disaster and crisis teams and the drills
carried out in high rise buildings, including the Burj Khalifa. He added
that the rescuers and search team were at the site before the fire to
ensure safety during the fire works planned for New Year's Eve. He said
that the evacuation was done professionally, and they could finish the
complicated job in minutes. Among the evacuees included 77 children,
elderly, women and six people on wheel chairs. Al Matroushi said that
they will consider the fire in the Address Hotel as a practical
training.
Major Khaled said the Dubai Police and Civil Defense staff were so
happy that the rescue team could help people get out of the burning
hotel. He said: "Our role was to break into rooms, check whether someone
is inside and then take them out down the stairs to get out of the
fire. The exits at the hotel were designed in such a way that no smoke
will enter there, which made the rescue work easier."
amira@khaleejtimes.com
US President Barack Obama on Tuesday unveiled some executive
measures on gun control, including expanding background checks and
calling for "a sense of urgency" about gun violence.
