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Sharjah govt to replace fire hazard facades on buildings

Published

3 years ago

April 24, 2023

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In order to lessen the possibility of fires spreading quickly through tower facades, the Sharjah government is footing an ambitious Dh100 million project to replace the mostly aluminum cladding on older buildings.

Although 203 buildings have been identified with the problematic safety hazard, the first phase will cover 40 residential and commercial towers at high risk, with nod from Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, the Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

Contractors have been appointed and will take six months. Improvement work on the remaining 163 buildings will be done in the next stage.

According to Sharjah Municipality Director of Technical Services Engineer Khalifa Al Suwaidi, the project would use non-combustible material to replace combustible aluminum cladding.

In Sharjah, the use of aluminum facades, which can quickly spread a fire, was forbidden for new tower construction in 2016.

Aluminium composite-panel cladding was prohibited in the Emirates under the country’s Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice, which was introduced in January 2017. Further updates came into effect the following year.

New buildings must be fitted with advanced non-combustible cladding that is able to stop the spread of flames and is more durable under intense heat.

It is not mandatory for buildings built before the new legislation was introduced. A high-rise Sharjah tower that was gutted in May 2020 was covered with cladding that is banned on newer buildings.

Abbco Tower was built in 2005 with an external material that was widely used in the Emirates until it was prohibited in 2017. “The fire spread faster because of the cladding,” Col Sami Al Naqbi, head of Sharjah Civil Defence, said at the time. Since the building is somewhat old, it was installed with the cladding before it was banned.”

Speaking at a fire safety conference in Dubai in January, specialists said there was a big demand on new building projects for solid aluminum panels, due to their durability and aesthetics.

Related Topics:building cladding Dubai Featured fire hazard police Sharjah Sheikh Sultan Al Qassimi

Staff Reporter

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Dubai-India travel: Security procedures triggered for Emirates flight following bomb threat email, flight lands safely

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1 day ago

December 5, 2025

Michael Gomes

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Authorities at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport activated full emergency protocols on Friday after receiving a bomb threat email linked to Emirates flight EK526 travelling from Dubai (DXB) to Hyderabad (HYD).

According to GMR officials, the threat email landed in the airport’s customer support inbox around 7.30am on December 5. Despite the alert, the flight continued under strict monitoring and landed safely at 8.30am.

Once on the ground, the aircraft was immediately moved to an isolated bay. Passengers were safely deboarded, and security te

ams carried out standard bomb threat checks. Investigations are currently underway.

Emirates confirmed the incident in a statement to local media, saying authorities had alerted them to a “potential security threat” to EK526.
“All standard security procedures were implemented by the relevant local authorities with full co-operation from Emirates’ ground teams,” the airline said, adding that “the safety and well-being of passengers and crew remain the highest priority.”

Authorities say all threats are being investigated, and extra security measures remain in place at the airport.

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Driving through Abu Dhabi this week? Here are the road closures you need to know about

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1 day ago

December 5, 2025

Michael Gomes

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Abu Dhabi motorists can expect some delays over the next few days, with the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) announcing a series of partial road closures across key routes in the capital. Drivers are being urged to plan, allow extra travel time, and follow diversions to avoid congestion.

Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street

A major set of phased lane closures will take place near Sheikh Zayed Bridge from Tuesday, December 9 to Monday, December 22, 2025.

Three left lanes will be closed from 12am on December 9 until 10pm on December 15.
Two right lanes will then shut from 10pm on December 15 until 6am on December 22.

Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Street

Another temporary closure is scheduled on Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Street from 5pm on December 5 until 5am on December 8.

Authorities explained that these restrictions are part of ongoing road enhancement projects designed to improve traffic flow and safety across the city. Motorists are encouraged to use alternative routes wherever possible during the maintenance period.

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Sharjah Police give deadline to remove National Day stickers, or face fines

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1 day ago

December 5, 2025

Michael Gomes

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If your car is still sporting National Day decals, it’s time to take them off. Sharjah Police have announced that all vehicle owners must remove their UAE National Day celebration stickers by Saturday, December 6, and those who miss the deadline will face violations.

The reminder follows a crackdown during the 54th Eid Al Etihad celebrations, where authorities impounded 106 vehicles and nine motorbikes for dangerous and irresponsible behaviour on the roads.

According to Sharjah Police, the violations included:

Creating loud noise and disturbing residents
Driving recklessly and endangering others
Operating vehicles without a valid licence

Police officials urged motorists to celebrate responsibly and avoid turning festivities into safety risks.

However, there has been a shift in decorating trends this year. Many residents opted for cleaner, simpler, more elegant designs to showcase their UAE pride ahead of the long weekend, and demand for custom decals surged.

Authorities are now urging residents to ensure all celebratory stickers and decorations are removed by the set deadline to keep roads safe and avoid penalties.