Blaze guts Sharjah tyre shops and halts traffic

Fire causes traffic delays in industrial area of the emirate.

Emergency crews at the scene of the fire in Sharjah Industrial Area.

SHARJAH // Firefighters took three hours to extinguish a blaze at two tyre shops in Sharjah Industrial Zone today.

The fire blocked a section of the road leading into the area for almost five hours, causing traffic jams.

Four fire engines and a crane were used to battle the fire, which witnesses said began about 8am, near the Sahara Centre.

While no injuries were reported, the Formula Tyre Trading and Gulf Coasts Company shops were gutted.

The owner of Gulf Coasts Company, Safeer Mohammed, said about 25 people were inside his shop when the fire started.

"Everyone is safe," Mr Mohammed said. "My workers ran to safety as soon as the fire started. They were preparing to start work when it happened."

He said damage to his shop would be worth millions of dirhams.

"A lot of things got burnt, including spare car parts," Mr Mohammed said.

"We don't know when we will be able to open the shop again. The damage seems to be big."

Mohammed Mustapha of Formula Tyre Trading estimated damages to his shop, including loss of inventory, would cost him about Dh500,000.

"These are the two biggest car shops in Sharjah," Mr Mustapha said.

He said he believed an electrical fault had caused the fire, but the Sharjah Civil Defence was still investigating.

Local businesses were also affected by the blaze, as the blocked road meant fewer customers.

"Everyone suffers, including the shop owners and the customers," said one businessman, who operates a shop across the street from the fire.

"Something has to be done to stop these fire accidents, otherwise businesses will suffer."