Sharjah building fire: Man jumped from 30th floor to escape fire, brother says – News

The body of the Kenyan man who jumped to his death in an attempt to escape a massive building fire in Sharjah’s Al Nahda will be repatriated soon, perhaps by the end of this week.

Omanua Godfrey Shikanda, 36, had jumped from the 30th floor of the building when it caught fire, Shikanda’s brother Dickson Okusimba said as he shared the harrowing account that led to his brother’s untimely death.

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“Destiny had different plans for my brother,” Okusimba said, his voice heavy with sadness.

According to Okusimba, Shikanda was sleeping when the building caught fire. “His apartment was also on fire and he must have woken up from his sleep. Noticing the thick smoke, Shikanda must have panicked and made the fateful decision to jump from his window in a desperate attempt to save himself. I think he hoped to land safely in a nearby car. However, tragedy struck and left us dealing with unbearable pain,” Okusimba said.

At the time of the fire, Okusimba was in Sri Lanka on a business trip. Upon learning of the tragedy, he launched a desperate search for his brother. “My friends kept calling me, but they couldn’t reach me. When I finally contacted them the next day, they informed me of the fire in my brother’s building and of his disappearance.”

Unable to find his brother at his friend’s house and office, Okusimba sent his friends to the Buhaira Police Station and discovered the heartbreaking truth.

Shikanda, a supervisor at a pipeline company that installs pipes in buildings, leaves behind a grieving family in Kenya, including his wife and two young children. “His daughter is 14 years old and his son is six,” Okusimba said.

“His sudden and tragic departure has left a void that can never be filled,” said Okusimba, who returned to the UAE from Sri Lanka on Saturday. He visited Shikanda’s apartment in Block B, only to find it in ruins after the fire.

Shikanda arrived in the UAE nine years ago. “His children, his wife and everyone were happy. He was the sole breadwinner for his family and he was a very generous man,” Okusimba said.

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