Fire erupts at Dubai chemical warehouse

[Jacaylbaro]

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Fire broke out early Monday in a warehouse containing hazardous chemicals at Dubai's Jebel Ali port, sending plumes of thick black smoke into the sky before firefighters brought it under control three hours later.

 

A police officer at port said no one was injured in the fire, which broke out around 4 a.m. A port official said the fire, which was under investigation, did not affect shipping and handling at the busy port. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

 

Ahmed Abdul Hussain, the director Dubai's Environment, Health and Safety Regulatory Authority said there was no noticeable environmental damage.

 

"The air quality and toxicity levels are being monitored. There is no cause for alarm," Hussain said.

 

The company Chemstore, which rents the warehouse at the entrance to the Jebel Ali port where the fire erupted, estimated the damage at $4 million. Its representatives said the chemicals were for commercial use, but would not disclose the types of chemicals stored in the warehouse.

 

The Jebel Ali port is the world's largest manmade port and the region's largest commercial and industrial hub, encompassing an area of 52 square miles. The port was carved out of the desert in the 1970s and serves as a symbol of this Persian Gulf city-state's rapid economic development.

 

Former Dubai ruler Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed al-Maktoum declared the emirate tax free on imports and exports in the 1980's, making the Jebel Ali port the largest duty free zone in the Middle East.

 

Today 5,500 companies from 120 countries have their regional headquarters, manufacturing units and warehouses in the port and its free zone.

 

The United Arab Emirates is one of the world's largest oil exporters and the Jebel Ali port houses the second largest oil refinery in the UAE. It is equipped to handle large container ships with gantry cranes and other state-of-the-art technology.

 

It is also one of the region's largest ports offering facilities to the U.S. Navy.

 

AP

[N.O.R.F]

Alot of traffic that day.....

[Jacaylbaro]

reer SOL way nabad qabaan uun sow maaha ??

[N.O.R.F]

None of us work at the port so yeah we are all fine....I'm the only SOLer in dubai at the mo i think,,,,

[N.O.R.F]

At least some Somalis will get more time to sort out their papers of go back home....

 

Amnesty offer to run until after Ramadan

By Bassma Al Jandaly, Staff Reporter

Published: August 27, 2007, 23:06

 

 

Dubai: The amnesty will be extended until after Ramadan and the Eid Al Fitr holidays, Gulf News has learned.

 

The Cabinet gave illegal residents three months to leave the country or adjust their status, and the deadline was to end on September 3.

 

Officials on Monday told Gulf News the amnesty offer will run until after the Eid Al Fitr holidays to give illegal residents more time to legalise their situation. No date has been fixed for the new deadline.

 

"There is a massive rush for air tickets and airlines are finding it hard to cope with the demand. A huge number of people are applying for amnesty and many have not been able to complete formalities to leave the country. Hence, the deadline has been extended," an official said.

 

 

gulfnews.com