Mother who lost seven children in fire speaks of terrible premonitions
The mother whose seven children were killed after a fire broke out in their home in Fujairah told The National that before the accident, her children knew they were about to join their father.
“They were asking about him all the time five days before the incident and the twins, Sara and Summaya, were pretending that he was sleeping next to them one day before the fire,” said Saleemah Al Suraidi.
The children’s father, Saeed Al Suraidi, died almost five years ago.
On Monday morning, all seven of Mrs Al Suraidi’s children asphyxiated after an electrical fire broke out in the living room: Shouq, 13, Khalifa, 12, Ahmad, 11, Sheikha, 10, Ali, 8, and twins Sara and Summaya, 5.
“Each night, I used to pray for God to protect [my children] and if I forgot, Ahmad would always remind me. Now they have left me alone and I still can’t believe it,” Mrs Al Suraidi said.
She recalled the night of the fire, saying that she suddenly woke up unable to breathe and thought she was dreaming.
“I didn’t know if it was a dream or not. I woke up and it was very dark. I couldn’t see anything and it was hard to breathe. Shouq was sleeping next to me and Sheikha, Sara and Summaya were sleeping on the floor in the same room,” she said.
“I used my phone light to see what was happening and then I tried to wake Shouq up, but she was unconscious and her eyes were open.
“I started to panic and went to see the other girls; Sheikha was still moving her head, while the twins were already dead. When I opened the door, the smoke was everywhere and I saw Khalifa was on the living room floor and he was still moving his head, while Ahmad and Ali in the other room were also unconscious.”
Mrs Al Suraidi tried to resuscitate Sheikha and Khalifa using a glass of water she had next to her bed, but they stopped breathing and then she ran to the front door calling for help.
“It was like a nightmare. I started to act unconsciously.
“I opened the living room door and started screaming for help and phoned my nephew, Rashid, to come and help and then called the police,” she said.
“I didn’t notice any flames and the place was full of smoke.
“It all happened in just seconds. In a few seconds I lost all my children.”
Mrs Al Suraidi said of her children that all were kind, helpful, happy and talented.
“I don’t know how I will live without them; they were everything to me, and I pray to Allah to give me the patience and strength I need to carry on,” she said.