AJMAN — Three of the five cleaning and maintenance workers who had been battling for life after inhaling toxic chemical fumes during a fire in an oil tanker at Ajman Port last week have succumbed to the inside burns in a hospital here, taking the death toll in the incident to six.
Three workers had died on the spot in the fire on the Sallalah while five were rushed to Khalifa Hospital. Three of them who had suffered third degree burns died in the last two days.

Salih Al Junaibi, Deputy Director of Khalifa Hospital, said the workers were brought to the hospital in very critical conditions, as they had third degree burns inside due to inhaling fumes from the strong chemical which they used to clean the ship.

DUBAI // A manager of the chemical factory that burst into flames last week and continued to smoulder yesterday denied there were toxic gases in the air.

The denial came a day before the Greenfield Community School, which was shut down as a precaution, is to hold an informational session about the closure for parents.

The meeting today also follows a warning from Dubai Civil Defence about dangerous gases in the area.

"There are no poisonous gases," said Karim Smadi, the regional manager of Reda Industrial Materials, which owns the warehouses.

"We consider there are no risks. But we are not in a position to say what kind of precautionary measures that the school should take."

Mr Smadi said it was up to the authorities to issue instructions.

More than 70 chemicals were stored at the plant at the time of the fire. Civil Defence was still investigating the cause of the blaze yesterday. Smoke continued to rise from the company's four gutted warehouses in Dubai Investments Park at 4.30pm yesterday. Only an administrative building remained untouched.

DUBAI // A school has been shut down for the rest of the week because of what Civil Defence officials described as "poisonous gases" from a smouldering fire at a nearby chemical factory.

It is the second time Greenfield Community School has been closed since the blaze last Tuesday at the Reda Industrial Materials warehouse in Dubai Investments Park.

The warehouse burst into flames after what witnesses called an enormous explosion that sent a fireball hundreds of metres into the air.

More than 70 different industrial and food chemicals were believed to have been stored in the warehouse at the time of the fire.

"We would like to inform you that the air surrounding the site of the fire which took place at the chemical warehouse is still polluted by poisonous gases carried by plumes of smoke," the Civil Defence said in a notice to the school yesterday.

UBAI // Firefighters battled a blaze at a chemical factory from yesterday afternoon well into the evening.

The trading and manufacturing company's warehouse, in phase two of Dubai Investments Park, is believed to house industrial and food chemicals.

"The fire broke out at our warehouse where chemicals are kept," said an official at the company. "People were working inside the warehouse after lunch when it broke out and spread in seconds."

No casualties were reported. The area was cordoned off and firefighters remained at the scene late yesterday evening.

DUBAI // Pesticides which have been banned by the Ministry of Environment and Water because they are highly dangerous and capable of killing are being sold in shops around the country, industry experts said yesterday.

In November 2009, the ministry followed international practices, and banned 167 chemicals because they caused a danger to people and the environment. Another 32 substances were allowed to be used, but only by licenced operators. Yet the sale of these dangerous pesticides is common in small shops and on the black market.

Less than a week ago a man died after spraying his apartment with pesticide.