Kerala couple among 16 dead in Dubai building fire

Malappuram (Kerala) [India], April 17 (ANI): In a tragic incident, 16 persons including a couple from Kerala's Malappuram district died in a fire at a residential building in Dubai's Dera.
The deceased couple has been identified as Kalangadan Rijesh, aged 38 years and Kandamangalat Jishi, aged 32 years, both hailing from Vengara in Malappuram.
The other deceased are reportedly from Pakistan and Sudan.
According to the police, the couple died of suffocation. The security guard who took part in the rescue operations has also died, informed the police.
The police suspect that the cause of the fire was short-circuiting.
Rijesh worked as a travel employee while Jishi was a teacher at Khizais Crescent School.
Reportedly, a fire broke out in a building in the Frijmurar area of Naif, Dubai's busiest market.
The bodies of both Rijesh and Jishi are expected to reach their native by tomorrow, as informed by the brother of Rijesh's father.
Further details on the incident are awaited. (ANI)