Sharjah rental rates go up after fire leaves 125 families homeless

After a fire in Sharjah left homeless some 125 families, including at least one Filipino family, rental rates in the area reportedly went up in a matter of days. A report of Gulf News on Tuesday said "apartments that were fetching annual lease rates of around Dh36,000 have now suddenly jumped to Dh40,000 and above." Quoting residents, the report said a nearby apartment "was advertising apartments for Dh39,000 but since the fire, those same apartment lease rates have jumped to Dh43,000 and Dh44,000 annual rental rates, a difference of at least Dh4,000 and up." Gulf News said the displaced residents are also displeased with their landlord "for not presenting a stronger emergency plan of action in the days after the blaze." An earlier report of Khaleej Times said one Filipino family was among some 125 families who lost their homes when a fire hit the 25-story Al Bakr Tower 4 in Sharjah. The report quoted a Filipino, identified only as "Godbless," as saying: “The only thing that saved us was the fact that the staircase was safe. I am still in shock with the loss of all my documents — from passports to driving licences and school certificates. I don’t know how am I going to recover all of them!” 
Aside from the residential units, several cars were also destroyed as the blaze started on the first residential floor of the building and spread to the upper floors. - RJMD/VVP, GMA News