SHARJAH, UAE – Fresh details have emerged about a Kenyan national who died while trying to rescue his roommates during a deadly fire that engulfed a 52-storey building in the Al Nahda area of Sharjah on Sunday, April 13.
The victim, identified only as B.K., was among five people who lost their lives in the blaze. According to local reports, B.K. woke up before his roommates, alerted them about the fire, and instructed them on how to avoid suffocation. His quick thinking allowed several of them to escape.
Eyewitnesses say he noticed thick black smoke entering their apartment and began shouting for everyone to wake up. “It was a weekend, and most of us were still asleep. All I heard was B.K. screaming, telling us to get out,” said Aby, one of B.K.’s roommates who survived the fire.
Amid the panic, B.K. reportedly stayed calm. He advised his friends to cover their faces to avoid inhaling smoke. Civil defense teams eventually rescued the group—except for B.K., who was missing during the evacuation.
Later, authorities confirmed that B.K. had attempted to escape by climbing down the side of the building using maintenance cables. According to Aby, B.K. likely thought it was the only way out. “He probably saw the cables outside the window and believed he could climb down—but he must have slipped and fallen,” Aby said.
B.K.’s body was later found by rescue teams. Witnesses initially believed someone had jumped during the chaos, but it was only after the dust settled that his flatmates realized it was B.K. who had fallen.
Aby described his fallen friend as cheerful, humorous, and selfless. B.K. had recently moved into the tower to reduce rent expenses while working at a local mall.
Other Victims and Ongoing Investigation
Sharjah authorities reported that four other individuals died in the fire. Three reportedly fell while trying to flee the upper floors, and another victim likely suffered a fatal cardiac arrest due to the shock.
One victim, believed to be Kenyan, was burned beyond recognition, complicating the identification process. The identities of some victims remain undisclosed as investigations continue.
Authorities said the fire began on one of the tower’s upper floors. Emergency crews responded swiftly and evacuated hundreds of residents. However, the exact cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
The 52-storey Al Nahda Tower is one of Sharjah’s tallest residential buildings and home to over 1,500 residents, including many Kenyans working in the UAE.
