80 staff from one restaurant among those left homeless by Deira blaze

Residents are being put up in hotels as a groundswell of support from the Filipino community provides at least one happy note to come from the devastating fire.

Many tenants lost all their possessions when their apartment building was damaged by fire. Antonie Robertson / The National

DUBAI // More than 80 staff at the Little Manila restaurant were among hundreds to be made homeless by the devastating fire that broke out at the Al Shamsi building in Deira on Monday.

Despite the huge personal loss suffered by workers, the traditional Filipino restaurant in Rigga has remained open for business, with staff sharing contacts and information to help the community back on its feet.

The Philippine consulate has been distributing clothes and essential items to the many who lost everything.

Rachel was one of those to lose her possessions but, luckily, not her passport. Like her colleagues, she is staying at the Dream Palace Hotel, Deira.

“The consulate has been helping us by bringing us clothes, food and other amenities that we need every day,” she said.

“I don’t know about the other tenants in the building but there have been meetings in Reef Mall about how to help the victims.

“The management company has said we can stay at the hotel for one week before we can find a new apartment. Our management kept our passports, so we have not lost those.”

Civil Defence were again busy on Wednesday when another fire broke out on a 26th-floor balcony of the Regal Tower in Business Bay at 9.45am.

A Civil Defence spokesman said three people sustained minor injuries and the fire, which spread to the 28th floor, was put out by 10.25am.

The Medical City, a Filipino-managed facility in Dubai offering general medical practice, paediatrics, OB-gynaecology, internal medicine and cardiology, will on Thursday provide free check-ups, consultation and treatment from 9am to noon to all Filipino victims of the Deira fire.

“We understand that most of the Filipino victims have lost their valuable documents and perhaps even their health insurance cards. They can come to our facility, located on Al Diyafah Road, within Jumeirah 1 and near Satwa, to be checked and treated,” said Dr Rebecca Desiderio, TMC’s chief executive.

The free check-ups are just an example of how Filipinos have rallied around to offer support to the fire victims. The Philippine consulate Dubai has appealed for certain relief items to be dropped off at the Philippine Overseas Labour Office to help those affected. Items in demand include bottled drinking water, sleeping materials, towels, canned goods, non-perishable items and toiletries.

For those who lost their passports, the consulate has a separate registration process.

Filipino Grace, whose friend has a cousin living in one of the burnt-out apartments, said: “Yesterday, some of the residents returned to look at what was left of their burnt homes as the consulate had announced a registration point for residents left homeless.

“Most of the companies employing the residents there were keeping hold of their passports, so that was likely to be the only document that was saved.

“There has been no one forced to sleep out on the streets from what I have seen.”

A dine and donate dinner buffet was held last night at the Fiesta Pinoy Filipino food restaurant in Reef Mall. Half of every Dh20 entry fee went to help the victims of the fire.

A donation box has also been set up at Rocky’s Cafe at the Ramee Guestline Hotel.

To offer a donation to help residents of the Al Shamsi fire, call 056 2126 154.