Electrical fire breaks out on Reem Island

ABU DHABI // The three Stonehenge-linked towers on Reem Island were evacuated on Sunday after a fire broke out in the basement of one of the towers.

A resident living in Tower 3 of Gate Towers, in the heart of Shams Abu Dhabi, said the fire, which started in one of basement car parks of Tower 2, began due to an electrical fault.

Police, firefighters and an ambulance arrived at the scene within minutes.

Residents of all three towers were asked to leave the buildings between 5.30pm and 5.45pm as a safety measure.

Abu Dhabi Civil Defence brought the fire under control less than hour after the blaze was reported.

“The fire started at about half an hour before the evacuation,” said the 33-year-old strategy manager. “And by about 6.55pm, the source was pretty much contained, but the police still did not allow us to return to the buildings.”

Civil Defence are investigating the cause, though residents were told a “small electric fire” in the basement triggered a loss of power in the building.

Police have yet to confirm any injuries, but residents say no one was hurt.

A Facebook user said she could smell smoke in the immediate vicinity, but no flames are visible. Residents’ cars blocked the four-lane road outside the Gate Towers complex.

Residents received a message from Abu Dhabi Distribution Company (ADDC), before the building was evacuated, informing them of an “electric outage incident” in the premises’ supply point, and that emergency team was working to have it restored.

A second message read: “Dear residents, due to a small electrical fire in the basement, which is under control and been extinguished there is no power. ADDC are working to restore power and it is expected to returned to normal service within an hour.”

Another message was sent out by ADDC at 6.53pm about electric services having been successfully restored.

Residents began returning to their residences at 7.45pm.

Property developer Aldar Properties was not immediately available for comment.