Sharjah police found the use of a banned cladding material had caused the rapid spread of the fire which gutted a 49 storey tall building in Sharjah, Al Nahda area. The forensic team had discovered Aluminium composite cladding was used in the construction of Abbco tower. Many Indian families were living in the highrise tower in Al Nahda, a region with a considerable Indian expatriate population. Over 250 families were evacuated from the 49-story building as a result of the fire. About 12 residents sustained injuries, of which three had to be hospitalized.
“the initial probe of the Al Nahda fire revealed that this highly flammable cladding was used in the facade of the Abbco Tower”, said Brig Ahmed Al Serkal Dir general of the forensic department. The material was banned for use in construction since 2017, as it helped the spread of fire. Though the Abbco Tower was built before the cladding ban, its owner had already been ordered to remove the aluminum panels from its facade.
As per new municipality guidelines, buildings in Sharjah with a height of more than 23 meters – equivalent to seven floors – should not have aluminum cladding.
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