Fire destroys two shops in Bur Dubai temple complex
Blaze reportedly started in nearby store and spread via fibre glass roof
Two shops in the temple complex of Bur Dubai caught fire in the wee hours yesterday, leading to the area being closed to the public, Gulf News has learnt.
One shop sells novelty gift items. A member of the shopowner’s family told Gulf News yesterday that the fire reportedly started in a shop on the opposite side, but spread to this shop through a fibre glass roof.
“We rushed to the area by which time the shop was in flames and everything was destroyed,” she said.
There were no casualties and the fire was brought under control by Civil Defence.
Vasu Shroff, Chairman of the Sindhi Gurudwara in the temple complex, said: “Six of our staff live in three rooms atop the first shop that caught fire around midnight. They called the authorities to report the fire which spread to the opposite shop.”
Gopal Kookani, manager of the temple housed on the first floor of the complex, said: ”There was no fire in the temple. All employees here are safe and sound.”
He said the gutted shops were located in the narrow lane leading up to the temple. “The reason for the fire is not known. Police have closed the lanes and bylanes in the area for the safety of the public,” he said, adding that he had been asked to report back in the evening.
The temple complex, which dates back to the 1950s, is a major tourist attraction in Dubai. Located on the banks of the Dubai Creek, the Hindu temple, initially conceived as a prayer hall, was built on the first floor of a row of shops selling a variety of novelty items.
Nestled in the midst of the old alleys of the textile souq, the temple is visited by thousands. It has been built on land donated by Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum.