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The fire in the crowded Naif area of Dubai was an accident that should have been prevented. A combination of heavy over-crowding and lax fire precautions in the building led to the circumstances in which a simple accident turned into a slaughter.
At least 11 people were reported dead and the toll may rise. This is a huge number of people to die, tragically cutting short their lives, leaving their hopes destroyed and their many grieving relatives bereft.
As Dubai goes through its massive transformation from a medium sized regional city to a major global centre, it is suffering all sorts of stresses and strains. But these should not be at the cost of human life, and the authorities need to continue to review how they enforce the proper standards to avoid accidents from turning into shattering tragedies.
Finding affordable housing is a major issue for the less paid. They are forced to live in desperately overcrowded rooms, often sharing beds in shifts. It is not enough simply to ban what is described as bachelor accommodation from middle class areas. Building a lot more cheap accommodation is urgently required as part of the master plan for the whole community of the future Dubai.
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