AJMAN // Large parts of the most popular nightclubs in Ajman have been gutted in the emirate’s first major blaze for the year.
Several restaurants and a cafe were also reduced to ashes after the fire, which started about 11am on Tuesday at the Ajman Holiday Beach Club.
Firefighters from Al Rumailah and other stations across Sharjah battled the blaze for about an hour and a half, said Brig Saleh Al Matroushi, director of Ajman Civil Defence.
Brig Al Matroushi said Civil Defence was onsite and CID would start its investigations on Wednesday.
“The blaze is believed to have been started by a gas cylinder explosion in one of the restaurants’ kitchens and spread to other parts,” he said.
“Our firefighters managed to control the blaze in 90 minutes and saved some parts of the club.”
There were no injuries or fatalities reported but the fire, coupled with the rain, slowed traffic at Ajman Corniche for almost an hour.
Police used social media and radio stations to direct motorists to alternative routes, especially those driving from Ajman towards Sharjah.
Thick smoke billowed up across the emirate’s skies, coming from the building’s aluminium cladding and equipment inside.
Passers-by who stopped to watch the blaze blocked access for firefighters, said Col Nasser Al Zari, head of operations at Ajman Civil Defence.
“We have always urged people to stay away from blazes and give firefighters easy access to the premises,” Col Al Zari said.
“This was the biggest challenge we had at the beginning of controlling the blaze, and we had to close some roads and dedicate them for only firefighter vehicles.”
The building contained nightclubs that were popular with Ethiopian, Indian, Moroccan and Lebanese residents.
The clubs are mainly open between 10pm and 3am, so there was no one inside at the time of the blaze.
“This club has been very popular here, attracting people of all cultures at night and it is going to be very boring without it,” said Sulemani, a resident of Al Rumailah.
Sadat Ahmed said he felt for the dozens of workers at the clubs.
“Every night two buses have to bring them from their hotels to come and perform,” Mr Ahmed said.
“They even performed this morning and they could not expect they would be jobless in a few hours.”
ykakande@thenational.ae
