BulldozerGirl

Fortune Tower nearly complete seven months after deadly blaze

By Robert Ditcham, Staff Reporter
Published: August 12, 2007, 23:00

Dubai: Construction work on the Fortune Tower property development on Shaikh Zayed Road, Dubai is almost complete, seven months after a deadly blaze in the tower left two workers dead and dozens injured.

Dubai-based developer Fortune Group on Sunday said construction work on its Dh170 million project in the Jumeirah Lake Towers master development is 95 per cent complete and scheduled for handover at the end of October.

At 12.30pm on January 18, fire broke out on the upper storeys of the 34-storey building, billowing plumes of thick black over Dubai's skyline.

The blaze left two site workers dead and around 40 needing treatment for injuries such as burns and smoke inhalation.

An investigation into the cause of the blaze found that burning welding material set alight wooden parts of an area of scaffolding.

A Fortune Group spokesperson said the building suffered no structural damage, allowing work to restart after a couple of months' delay.

During this period the site was cordoned off while investigations were conducted and Fortune Group finalised compensation packages.

"Post-fire recovery work began in April and subcontractors involved in the construction process were given reworked schedules," the company said in a statement.

Completion and testing of the 35-storey tower will be carried out by the end of next month, following which customers will be invited for inspection of the premises and subsequent handover in October, Fortune Group said yesterday.

The company added that the project was sold out within four months of the launch date.

"This project will meet the ever-increasing demand for commercial space that is being buoyed by the extraordinary growth of the economy in the region," said Syed Mohammad Ali, chief executive of Fortune Group.

Construction on the tower is being handled by Malaysia-based IJM Corporation.

When complete, the tower will bring 350,000 square feet of office space onto the market - a total of 254 office units.

Fortune Group's other projects include the Dh4 billion Burj Al Alam - Fortune Bay, Fortune Avenue, Fortune Pearl, Fortune Bravo, Crystal Tower, Fortune Executive Tower, Fortune Serene, Fortune Pavilion and Casa Marbella.

http://www.gulfnews.com/business/Rea.../10146048.html