Massive Fire at Sharjah Port Khalid - No Casualties - Pics

Report and pics by Naveen Frank
Daijiworld Media Network - Sharjah

Sharjah, Aug 18: A massive fire broke out   at Sharjah  Port Khalid late Friday August 17 night. Initial reports stated that the fire broke out in a biscuit factory.  But police and civil defense personnel began worrying when the fire spread to the oil storage facility of  the Emirates Lube Oil Company in the port.

Fire fighters from Sharjah and adjacent Dubai and Ajman fought hard for over 12 hours to contain the blaze.  The whole port area has been cordoned off.  A police personnel  guarding the entry point told our correspondent that the cause of the fire and the damage assessment will be ascertained later. At present their effort was to completely douse the massive flame. There have been no official reports of any casualties so far.

Residents of Sharjah corniche woke up to see the morning  sky covered with thick black smoke and a military helicopter hovering over the disaster scene. The corniche road and Bank Street areas of Sharjah   witnessed huge  traffic jams on account of curious on-lookers slowing down their vehicles to take a glimpse of the bellowing smoke.

Although the fire is not fully extinguished, the oil facility has been secured. But the major concern is the pollution. A thick powder coat of burnt ash has slowly started to descend on the  residential area of Sharjah , across the creek , thus making it a health hazard to people with asthma and other related ailments.