Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

An Indian woman in her 40s died in an apartment fire in the Al Majaz 2 area of Sharjah late on Thursday night, officials confirmed. The fire broke out at around 10:30pm on the eighth floor of an 11-storey residential building. A grocery store owner in the building alerted emergency services after spotting smoke. Sharjah Civil Defence teams swiftly evacuated nearby apartments and brought the blaze under control. Eyewitnesses said the fire originated in the woman’s apartment, where she was believed to be performing a religious ritual at the time. While the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, initial reports suggest the ritual may have involved an open flame. Despite rapid emergency response, the woman succumbed to the blaze. Her body has been transferred to the forensic department for examination. Authorities cordoned off the affected floor and are continuing to investigate the incident. ICA/Expat Media
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