Four Indians among 16 dead in Dubai blaze

The Indian Consulate in Dubai identified four Indians among the victims of a tragic fire in a residential building in Dubai on Saturday, Gulf News reported.

At least 16 people were killed and nine others were injured in the blaze, which Dubai Civil Defence attributed to a lack of compliance with building security and safety requirements.

From India, the deceased are a couple from Kerala and two men who worked at the building that caught fire in Deira district on Saturday afternoon. The Indian victims identified so far are Rijesh Kalangadan, 38, his wife Jeshi Kandamangalath, 32, Gudu Saliyakoondu, 49 and Imamkasim Abdul Khader, 43.

"We have received their passport copies through social worker Naseer Vatanappally. We would like to express our heartfelt condolences to the families and thank the social workers and others who have reached out with support. We are coordinating with the local authorities for the repatriation procedures,” said Bijender Singh, consul, Consular and Labour, at the consulate, Gulf News reported.

Kandamangalath worked as a school teacher while her husband Kalangadan was a business development manager.

According to a media report, Jeshi Kandamangalath, who hailed from Malappuram in Kerala, apparently died of asphyxia along with her husband. They were sleeping when the fire broke out, reported Khaleej Times. The couple were celebrating Vishu on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Saliyakoondu’s elder brother Saliga Sahib Gudu Basha told Gulf News he was outside the building when his brother was inside, insisting on helping out with the rescue of others, when he died. He claimed it was the same case with Abdul Khader who also hailed from his hometown.

Saliyakoondu and Abdul Khader worked as watchman-cum-cleaner and painter-cum-carpenter respectively.

Apart from the four Indians, the others victims have been identified as six Sudanese nationals, three Pakistanis, and one each from Jordan, Egypt and Cameroon.

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