UAE: Chilling Video Shows Man Trying to Escape from Storey Building Fire Using Rope
- A fire at Sharjah’s Al Nahda Tower killed five people, including three Kenyan nationals, with two victims still unidentified
- A video captured a man attempting to scale down the 52-storey building, but he did not survive the escape
- Onlookers at ground level were heard screaming, likely in shock after witnessing the man fall to his death
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Faith Chandianya, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and Current Affairs
A disturbing video has surfaced showing a man, reportedly Kenyan, attempting to escape the fire that broke out at Sharjah’s Al Nahda tower on Sunday, April 13.
Source: Twitter
Did the man scaling UAE tower using rope survive?
A video seen by TUKO.co.ke shows the man, a tenant of the 52-storey building, climbing onto a window where he sat for several minutes, likely trying to avoid suffocation from the heavy smoke.
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The fire continued to rage as thick black smoke rapidly filled the man's apartment and reached him at the window.
The man eventually clung to a maintenance cable hanging from the roof of the high-rise building, hoping to descend safely.
The man appeared to be making a successful descent as he carefully scaled the rope, but he reportedly lost his balance and fell to his death.
A large crowd gathered at the base of the high-rise building was heard screaming, likely in shock after witnessing the man's fall.
How many Kenyans died in Sharjah fire?
Roseline Njogu, the Principal Secretary in Kenya’s State Department for Diaspora Affairs, confirmed that three Kenyan nationals were among the victims of the deadly fire in Sharjah.
Source: Getty Images
The blaze occurred in a 52-storey residential tower located opposite the Sahara Centre, a building known for hosting over 1,500 residents from diverse backgrounds and particularly popular among Kenyans working in the UAE.
Authorities reported that the fire started on one of the upper floors, prompting a swift response from emergency crews who evacuated hundreds of residents.
According to local reports, occupants were gradually permitted to return to their homes later that evening, although those living above the 30th floor were still restricted from accessing their units.
Among the five fatalities, four individuals reportedly died after falling while attempting to flee the fire, while a fifth succumbed to cardiac arrest, believed to be caused by the shock of the situation.
One of the two unidentified victims, suspected to be a Kenyan, was burned beyond recognition, making identification difficult.
The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, with Sharjah Police confirming that inquiries are ongoing. At least 19 people were injured in the incident, including one Kenyan, and were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
One of the survivors of the Sharjah tower fire recounted how a Kenyan expatriate, who was also his roommate and friend, played a key role in rescuing them.
According to the account, the Kenyan man woke them up during the night and warned them about the blaze.
He reportedly advised them to cover their faces to protect themselves from smoke inhalation. However, after the group was rescued by emergency teams, the Kenyan man was nowhere to be found. They later learned he had fallen to his death while attempting to escape.
Kenyans found dead in US homes
In January 2020, a Kenyan citizen was found dead in his house in the US state of Missouri.
The man who was later identified as Jacob Simatwa from Endebbes, Kitale, reportedly died in his sleep. Reports from authorities indicated he was staying in the rented apartment with a Congolese national, whose identity was not disclosed.
It was not clear what caused the death of Simatwa.
His body arrived in Nairobi on Sunday, February 9, 2020 and was later ferried to Endebbes for burial.
In September 2024, another Kenyan, Mary Kimani, died in her sleep in Georgia.
Mary was serving in the US military and was a member of the Kenyan Women In The US - Uncensored -KWITUU.
Unlike Simatwa whose body was ferried back home, Mary was buried at the US military's National Cemetery in Georgia, in line with the US military traditions.
Masolo Mabonga, HOD Current Affairs and Politics, updated this article with Kenyans who died in the US while sleeping.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
