3.30pm

Following the tragic house fire, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has directed the UAE Civil Defense to immediately install fire alarm systems in every citizen's home at the expense of government for those who can't afford it.

3.09 pm

Bodies of the seven children have been laid to rest.

3.05 pm

Sending condolences to the family, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai tweeted, "We were shocked today to hear that seven of our children died in the fire incident. We express our deep condolences to their family and the people of UAE for losing Shouk, Khalifa, Ahmed, Ali, Sheikhah, Sara and Somaiya, children of Saied Al-Sreidi. We belong to God, and to God we return, we pray to god to grant them abode in paradise." 

2.59 pm

Saeed, a nephew of the mother of the seven kids, said he stayed in Dibba Al Fujairah while his aunt, lives alone in her house at Rol Dhadna. "As far as I know, the fire broke out around 3 am. My aunt wakes up at this time for a regular injection as she had an operation in Thailand a few months back."  

"When she opened the door of her room and entered the hall, she was shocked to see the dense smoke and flames," he added. 

"She could not move a step, and immediately called us for help. However, neither me nor my brothers or relatives and family members could enter the house because of the thick smoke."  

"We were all masked, but could not get inside the house on fire and failed to rescue anyone." 

2.39 pm

Ali Salem, a friend of Khalifa (one of the seven children) said that he was so sorry to know about the death of his close friend. "We used to sit, talk and play together. I will miss him so much." 

2.37 pm

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, sent his condolences to the family. He said, "With hearts that believe in god's destiny, and with great sorrow, we sadly received the news of the seven children's death in the suffocation incident, in Fujairah. 
We express deep condolences to their family and praying to God to shower his blessings on them, and grant their family forbearance and consolation."

2.34 pm

Mohammed Al Saridi, half-brother of the seven children, says, "I am shocked by the death of my siblings. I was in the office when I received the tragic news and we are not sure about the reason behind the fire."  

2.29 pm

The funeral ceremony is underway.

2.18 pm

Talking to Khaleej Times, Essa Mohammed, the uncle of the seven children says, "I came to know about the tragic fire while I was at work. Some say the fire was caused because of the air conditioner, while others say it was the heater. We don't know the real cause of the fire yet." 

2.13pm

Among the deceased include twins Sara and Sumaia (5), Sheikha (10), Khalifa (13), Shooq (15), Ali (9) and Ahmad (11).

Major General Mohammed Ahmed bin Ghanem Al Kaabi, Commander-in-Chief of Fujairah Police, said that evidences are being collected to identify the reason behind the tragic fire. "We urge the public to install smoke and fire detectors to avoid such hazards in the future."

2.05pm

The bodies of the seven children would be arriving in a while and the funeral process would begin.  

2.02pm

Hundreds of mourners have gathered for the funeral of the seven children who passed away this morning. The long road leading to Rul Dadna Cemetery is crowded with over a hundred cars parked on both sides. 

The bodies of the children are yet to arrive and the Fujairah Police has cordoned off the area outside the cemetery to avoid congestion. 

The story so far

Seven sleeping children suffocated to death in the wee hours of Monday as a fire broke out in the hall of their home in Fujairah.

The fire caused by the air conditioner in children's room and spread to rest of the house.

The Emirati children's mother called the police control room in panic, saying her house was on fire and her children were inside the house in the Roll Dhadna area.

However, the police had been informed too late. According to the police, despite arriving at the site in a "record time", emergency personnel from Dibba Fujairah found the seven children dead. Four boys and three girls - the eldest of them 13 and the youngest 5 - died in the tragic incident.

According to preliminary information, the mother woke up at dawn due to the burning smell of the fire in the house. She immediately called the police

Top officials of the force, including Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Ahmed bin Ghanem Al Kaabi, Commander-in-Chief, rushed to the spot. 

Maj-Gen Al Kaabi said they are still investigating the cause of the fire.

Recent villa fires in UAE

August 27, 2017: A villa catches fire in Al Ain, no casualties reported.

July 26, 2017: A man and his daughter were injured when a massive fire broke out in their villa located at Al Rawda area in Ajman.

July 21, 2017: A rat caused a gas cylinder explosion in a villa in Dubai, which led to a wall collapse, resulting in the death of a 32-year-old Asian maid.

May 30, 2017: A team of the Dubai Ambulance services rescued an entire family after they were trapped in a fire that broke out in their villa.

April 20, 2017: An Ethiopian maid died and three other maids sustained minor to serious injuries in an explosion caused by a gas leak in the kitchen of a villa in Al Jarf area, Ajman.

March 14, 2017: Twenty-year-old Emirati twin sisters suffocated to death after a fire erupted in their villa in Al Twar 3, Dubai.

October 22, 2016: Top Sharjah official among three killed in villa fire in Sharjah.

June 8, 2016: Three members of a Comoros family -- a 45-year-old mother and her two daughters -- were killed in a fire in their villa in Al Gafiah area of Sharjah.

February 23, 2016: The Sharjah Police rescued residents of a villa that caught fire in Kalba area. The family members narrowly escaped death as the fire broke out due to a short circuit.

November 16, 2015: A fire in a villa in the Mirdif area of Dubai injured nine people in Mirdif, Dubai.