Sharjah fire victims to get Dh50,000 per family

The victims of a recent fire in an apartment building in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), including at least one Filipino family, will receive an assistance of Dh50,000 per family. According to a report of Gulf News on Saturday, His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah ordered the distribution of the assistance to some 125 families affected by the fire. Many of the victims in the fire at the 25-story Al Baker Tower in Al Tawun, Sharjah left many homeless. Gulf News said the Shaikh Sultan’s gesture is "to provide a helping hand to the families." The report also quoted Khalifa Al Tunaiji, head of the housing department in Sharjah, as saying the Shaikh Sultan wants to help the families live a decent life. Filipino victims An earlier report of Khaleej Times said one Filipino family was among some 125 families who lost their homes when a fire hit the 25-story Al Bakr Tower 4 in Sharjah. The report quoted a Filipino, identified only as "Godbless," as saying: “The only thing that saved us was the fact that the staircase was safe. I am still in shock with the loss of all my documents — from passports to driving licences and school certificates. I don’t know how am I going to recover all of them!” Aside from the residential units, several cars were also destroyed as the blaze started on the first residential floor of the building and spread to the upper floors. Lease rates go up   A report of Gulf News on Tuesday said "apartments that were fetching annual lease rates of around Dh36,000 have now suddenly jumped to Dh40,000 and above." Quoting residents, the report said a nearby apartment "was advertising apartments for Dh39,000 but since the fire, those same apartment lease rates have jumped to Dh43,000 and Dh44,000 annual rental rates, a difference of at least Dh4,000 and up." Some residents claimed that "lease rates around town at some other buildings had gone up by more than 10 per cent for no apparent reason," the report added.   Gulf News said the displaced residents are also displeased with their landlord "for not presenting a stronger emergency plan of action in the days after the blaze." - VVP, GMA News