Filipina dead in UAE fire

A Filipina was among the five fatalities during the fire that engulfed a residential building in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed Tuesday night.

In a radio interview, DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Cacdac said the deceased overseas Filipino worker’s (OFW) husband is in critical condition due to the fire.

“Sa kasamaang palad nasawi ang ating kababayan, siya ay esposa ng isang OFW, isang skilled worker… na ngayon nasa critical condition na ngayon we’re monitoring yung kanyang sitwasyon (Unfortunately, our countryman died in the fire, she’s the spouse of an OFW, a skilled worker… who’s now in a critical condition),” Cacdac said.

“Meron ding labing isa na Pilipino na nandoon, OFWs silang lahat, nandoon sa residential building na yun at sila ngayon ay nailikas at nasa isang hotel (There are also 11 Filipinos who were there, all of them OFWs, who were there in that residential building and they have now been evacuated and are in a hotel),” he added.

Cacdac said the DMW will also provide the necessary financial assistance to the victims of the fire.

The DMW official said they are also willing to extend legal aid to the victims.

Cacdac said the Philippine government is working on the repatriation of the deceased Filipino.

“Inaasahan din natin na maka-recover yung kababayan natin na nasa critical condition (We’re also expecting that our countryman who’s in critical condition will recover),” he added.

According to reports, the fire broke out at a 39-story apartment building in Al Nahada Thursday night.

The deaths were caused due to smoke inhalation, the UAE city’s police said in a statement on Friday.

The fire also left 44 people injured. Of the figures, 17 are currently in hospital while 26 were discharged soon after receiving treatment.