At least 150 evacuated in Ruwi building blaze

Muscat: Ten persons were injured and at least 150 evacuated when a massive blaze broke out at the Dhofar Building in Ruwi.

The fire began around 6:10 on Friday evening. Firefighting services from the Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority quickly scrambled to the location, getting there in about 10 minutes after the blaze began. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

“We saw the fire engines and water tankers drive past our store,” said an employee at a computer store a few minutes away from the building. “On seeing the firefighters, we could only hope no one was seriously harmed.”

“By the time they arrived, many of us knew the fire was spreading quickly, so we all began evacuating our shops, and those who lived in the building were also told to leave their homes,” said a shopkeeper at Dhofar Building. “However, there were some people who could not leave, because the fire had blocked their escape.

“They were told by the authorities to move to the left side of the building, which had been spared by the fire, others went to the roof,” he added.

“There are about 60 to 70 of us shopkeepers manning about 30 stores, and at least 100 people living in the building.
“Fortunately, the left side of the building was initially not affected by the fire, so there was some way to rescue those who had been stranded,” he said. “The direction of the wind also meant the fire spread to the right side. That side of the building has been burned quite badly.”

Dhofar Building also serves as staff accommodation for the Ruwi branch of a chain of department stores. The top floor of the building alone houses about 80 employees. In the wake of the fire, their company is finding them alternate accommodation.
“Fortunately, there were only four or five of our colleagues inside the building at the time of the fire, because everyone else was at work,” said an employee of the store.

CDAA emergency services used ladders to rescue those who were still trapped within the building, or on the roof, unhesitatingly putting their lives on the line while braving the roaring flames, thick smoke, and other potential hazards to themselves.

“Firefighting teams in Muscat Governorate were able to control a fire that broke out in a building in the Ruwi area in Wilayat Muttrah, as a result of which 10 people were injured,” said CDAA in a statement.  The injuries sustained by people ranged from moderate to light, for which they were provided medical assistance on-site. Two people were transferred to hospital for further treatment.

Shopkeepers told Times of Oman that the last people stranded in the building were evacuated by around 10 o’clock at night.
“There were two people whom the authorities rescued last – they were brought down by about 10 or 10:30pm,” said a shopkeeper, who was surveying the damage done to the building from outside. “Fortunately, they managed to rescue everyone inside the building.”