The torch building caught fire again last night. And another less reported one in Sharjah.

Yeah. Just read about that. I'm in Dubai at the moment (came in late last night, takes 10 *****ing hours to fly from Qatar via Muscat now when you factor in the airport and layover times). I was relaxing with my coffee at Coffee Club thinking how so much better Dubai is compared to Doha but at least Doha hasn't had high rise fires!

Another cigarette butt?

You're forgetting the mall fire.

What a mess these tower fires are. The attached building next to my old building also had a fire yesterday too but that was put out before it savaged the cladding on my old tinderbox.

Quite apposite, really.

Dubai must hold the world record for the most number of casualty-free tower fires.

Yes, amazing that.....

We were talking about that at lunch today.

I remember the fire at the Atlantis before it opened. We were repeatedly told there were no casualties but about a year later a discreet plaque was put on a wall in the hotel acknowledging the death of a fireman or two.

Remember, in these days of happiness, there is no bad news and all is well.

the thing i see about these fires in Dubai is that if I had a fire on the outside of my apartment window/balcony their is not too much inside to go on fire. I have no curtains on room except bedroom. All concrete and tiles. When you see after event pics it is often just the balcony area that is burned. Though the fire at the address did look a bit worse to be honest...

At the greenfell fire in London , there would be curtains, carpets, gyproc, wood etc. once fire gets into building it will spread faster and draw in the fire

Fires will compete with you for oxygen...

I struggle to believe that happened - mostly due to data quality issues.

I deal with engineering/construction claims as well as managing situations based on information I and my team receive. My guys now know not to make a decision based on information they've been told, unless they have proof that that information is correct. Our catch-phase is "Have you seen the dead body?", i.e. do you know that what you've been told is true?

This, from 30s onwards:

A mate moved in a week ago today. Lost everything.
Another friend was a victim of the first Torch fire.
The more they happy, the more they make me seriously consider moving lower or to a small villa.

Villaggio Mall? The one where the triplets died in a nursery that was in a back corner of the mall? I remember that family was from New Zealand.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/images/smilies/ohmy.gif

Get one of the small single-story ones in Jumeirah or Umm Suqeim within walking distance of the beach. That's my Dubai ideal. A little garden for a dog. Just off the beach road and all the burger joints, central location, lots of places to walk or cycle to.

It's too bad many are being demolished

Would be lovely, but I think many are pricey.
I love where we live and wouldn't change it, can't be bothered to change it and I get to walk to work in less than 100 paces so it's mad to change it....but....