“He died a hero,” said Salinga Gudu, the brother of a watchman killed in the Al Ras building fire, his voice cracking as he spoke to Khaleej Times. The 55-year-old accompanied his brother’s mortal remains to India on Monday night. Saliyakoondu Gudu aka S Mohammed Rafiq worked in the building as a watchman along with his compatriot Imam Malik.
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The duo was on the ground floor when the fire broke out on the fourth floor on Saturday afternoon. According to residents, they rushed to the aid of the occupants of the building by banging on doors and alerting them to the danger.
It was on Saturday afternoon that the deadly blaze broke out in a building behind Latifa Mosque killing 16 people and injuring nine.“I want everyone to remember him in their prayers,” said Salinga. “He died a hero. I wish God had taken me instead. He had three young children to take care of but now there is nothing that can be done. Please pray for my brother.
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”Rafiq, who had been working in the UAE for 26 years, is survived by his wife and three children – two girls, aged 13 and 10, and a boy aged 6. According to his brother, he earned a salary of Dh1,500 and had not even managed to build a house for his family.
Meanwhile, Imam Malik is survived by his wife and three children, the youngest of whom is just 3 months old. “He came to Dubai only three years ago to earn a better living for his family,” said Salinga.On Sunday, the Tamil Nadu government announced Rs1 million (Dh45,000) each as compensation for the kin of two men. Salinga expressed gratitude for the monetary reward and said they would prove a welcome relief for the families.
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