Blue Cat

http://www.businessbenchmarkonline.c...weel-fire.html

Tamweel are providing the evacuees with hotel accomodation.

Millhouse

WTF - Are you actually suggesting that I wanted people to be hurt??

You can't hide the fact that at 2am on a Saturday night the building would be full. I sincerely hope everyone got out OK, but you have to recognize that would have been an almost impossible task.

The news reports 'no one was hurt' - I very much doubt that is true and if you believe that you must also be naive.

rowell

I am with Millhouse, looking at video and photographs in Daily mail the fire appears to be in 3 areas on outside of building but also through central core coming through the roof. I just hope reports are right.

flood2

The court trial has been postponed 4 times, as the co-owners of the nursery has failed to turn up 4 times at court. A joke

The Dean

Hmmmm........... in that video, I don't see many people coming out of the exits, or milling around outside......... I fear the worst.

Kim67

But we'll never really know will we, what I fear they mean is no local or western casualties, everyone else is expendable.

jackthehat

It depends upon several factors, such as the form and construction of the balcony - Whether it is projecting, or recessed into the building. Also, the size and proximity of other balconies, projections, and window penetrations, etc. Other considerations also have to be addressed, such as prevailing wind direction, and the adjacency of other buildings. As you rightly suggest, this is a specialist field. Buildings can be 'Modelled' during the design stages. However, this is rarely carried out.

Today's National is reporting that Civil Defence sprayed water from an adjacent building. It has also been stated that the Hose Reels were not working either; and despite the fire devastating apartments, no sprinklers were activated. The latter is rather academic in this instance, as the fire had taken a substantial hold on the building facade. However, no hose reels, no sprinklers, and the fire being doused from a neighbouring building, would suggest that there was a serious fault with the fire protection systems. The Civil Defence Inquiry will also investigate the cladding material, and the installation method.

Ditzy

Everybody got out just fine. It's a very humbling sight to be around the tower at the moment, people turning up with suitcases, waiting an hour to be allowed up to their apartment (one family allowed up at a time in the only working lift), filling up their cases with whatever they can retrieve that is not damaged, and leaving again.

Very humbling.

flares

drove past it today. i'd be concerned if i were living in a similar tower

Betty Bee

There is no way I would live in an apartment here, I think they are all a disaster waiting to happen. As for living in Burj Khalifa, well, do doesn't bear thinking about.

commander

Who cares about his use of capitol letters. He clearly (as demonstrated in his replies on this thread) has forgotten more about building construction in this region than you and I will ever know..

Bit of a twatting comment yourself Morfman.

jackthehat

Many thanks Commander, your comment is appreciated! It has never been my intention to 'Gloat!' However, I am sat presently, vetting Design Proposals, from 'Local' Consultants that show such a naivety for Fire & Life Safety Design, it beggars belief! Fire Safety, at its most basic level is not 'Nuclear Physics!' Most of it is down to common sense – A commodity that I find sadly lacking!

There needs to be a fundamental rethink on how buildings are procured, together with the Codes of Practice used as the Basis of Design; not to mention the manner in which buildings are both run and managed.

The solution to poor design, construction, and management is NOT Insurance! This is akin to treating a Brain Haemorrhage with an Aspirin! – After Death!


PS
I have just visited a Website for a 'Local Consultant' in Qatar ('Doctor' appears to be one of the most common First/Given names in Egypt!) That aside, their Website boasts the slogan . . .

"Blazing the trail in Building Design in Qatar!"

I am sure that it is!

Boomhauer

Don't you feel like saying oh jeez when you see some workmanship/practices, then burying your head in your hands and muttering dear lord give me strength.

I'm agnostic btw

jackthehat

All the time!

flood2

I see that early reports are hinting at the AC units in the service floor causing the fire.

They then go onto to talk about dodgy European AC units that are not fit for the high temps in the UAE. Obviously we should all ditch any dodgy German AC units, and switch to good old Chinese AC units that must be fit for purpose