Thermal cameras helped Zen Tower fire fight
dubai — Thermal imaging cameras were used by the Dubai Civil Defence firefighters as they put out the raging blaze that erupted in Zen Tower on May 13. It was with these cameras that the team was able to monitor the tower from outside and zero in on the areas on fire inside the building.
The team used three thermal cameras when the tower fire broke out, said Brigadier-General Rashid Khalifa Al Buffalasa, assistant director-general for fire and rescue affairs at the Civil Defence in Dubai. Other advanced cameras were used to search for missing persons or animals in neighbourhood apartments, he added.
He pointed out that when the Zen fire erupted, three buildings were evacuated as part of preventive measures. All firefighters were trained to carry respiratory systems and suit — weighing 14kg — in addition to use of water launchers, the official added.
Lieutenant Butti Ahmed bin Ghalaita, leader of a civil defence team, said the department imparts training to the staff on the use of breathing apparatus to help people and special needs persons inhale properly during a fire. Ghalaita said one person was left dazed and speechless as he saw the fire spreading in the tower. He was rescued and taken to a safe place.
Sergeant Mohammed Mohamed Abdel Rahim Mohamed, a firefighter, said he climbed to the 15th floor of the building, searching for missing people. He found a cat gasping for breath from the smoke, and after shielding the feline, it was moved to an animal shelter near the fire scene. Some animals, including dogs, turn fierce and aggressive when a fire breaks out. In such situations, they have to be dealt in a special manner and given special care, he said.
Brig-Gen Al Buffalasa said an animal shelter unit was set up near the fire site and a car equipped with cages was stationed to house the animals. Provided food and care, they were later returned to the owners. He said 60 firefighters participated in controlling the Zen Tower blaze. They worked under the direct supervision of Major-General Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, director-general of the Dubai Civil Defence who monitored the team at the fire site from the beginning. The firefighters used four fire engines, in addition to the rapid intervention and respirator units.
The main objective of the civil defence is to save lives, Al Buffalasa said. Some of the affected tenants — who stayed in the 15-storey Zen Tower having 74 apartments — are enquiring about their passports, valuable documents or IDs. Some insurance companies compensated people for damaged furniture, as agreed upon between the parties, Al Buffalasa noted.
He said the Dubai Police are responsible for keeping the passports and valuables in their safe custody and are authorised to give people permission to enter their houses and to access their belongings, till the probe is underway.