Tower where 16-year-old girl fell is a vantage selfie point
UNHINDERED VIEWS OF BURJ KHALIFA MAKES IT A FAVOURITE
The tower on Shaikh Zayed Road, where a 16-year-old girl plunged to her death while she was trying to take selfie on Saturday, is a popular vantage point from where photographers and bloggers take pictures of the Burj Khalifa, residents told Gulf News yesterday.
The Afghani teenager is believed to have been taking a selfie from the balcony of her 17th floor apartment in Al Kharbash Tower with the world’s largest tower in the backdrop when she lost her balance on a chair and came crashing down the tower.
Gulf News tried to reach out to the family to find out what happened, but they declined to comment.
A resident in the tower told Gulf News that the building is a vantage point for photographers to take shots of the Burj Khalifa and Downtown Dubai.
“Many photographers and bloggers come to the building to take pictures and videos of Burj Khalifa as it provides a beautiful view. Last New Year, a blogger came and asked to record the Burj Khalifa fireworks from our building. He set up his camera in our balcony to take outstanding pictures and clips,” a resident who did not give her name said.
She said she was surprised that someone could fall from the building balconies as they were “solid”.
“The balconies in the tower are safe as the railings are of solid metal and approximately 100cm high. I was shocked when I heard about the incident and feel sad for the girl and her family. May her soul rest in peace,” she added.
Gulf News has learnt that the family’s apartment was situated on the corner of the tower with a partial view of Burj Khalifa and Downtown.
Earlier on Saturday, Colonel Faisal Al Qasim, director of Security
Media in Dubai Police, said the girl was on the edge of the balcony in her parents flat trying to take a selfie when she fell down.
“She was standing on a chair in the balcony and trying to take a selfie when she lost control and fell to death,” Col Al Qasim said.
He added that the girl’s sister helplessly watched her sister falling after she lost balance.
“Her sister said that she lost balance as she was sitting on the edge of the balcony. While she fell out of the balcony, the mobile phone with which she was taking the selfie fell inside. The girl was killed instantly,” Col Al Qasim added.