Dubai officials stage mock tram crash as training drill for rescue crews

The drill was so convincing, it awoke residents in nearby marina towers, who were under the impression it was a real incident.

Dubai’s rescue teams were put through their paces at a mock tram crash on Friday. Courtesy RTA

A mock tram crash involving injured passengers and two vehicles was carried out in Dubai Marina to test the readiness of the city’s rescue crews.

The drill was held between 2am and 7.30am on Friday and involved dozens of personnel from Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Defence and Roads and Transport Authority officials.

The drill woke residents in nearby Marina Towers, who were under the impression it was a real incident.

The authorities gave no notice of the drill until Thursday night.

“The drill was based on a presumed collision between Dubai Tram and several vehicles,” said Dr Yousef Al Ali, head of emergency and crisis management team at the transport agency.

“The aim of the drill was to verify the readiness and quick response of the emergency and crises management team and step up our readiness.”

Images from the RTA showed a Mercedes car that had crashed into the tram, along with another vehicle.

In October of last year, a 43-year-old driver was jailed for a month and fined Dh3,000 for crashing into a tram after jumping a red light on Al Sufouh Street. The incident took place in September 2015.