‘We're coming back stronger’: Owner of Dubai gym hit by fire promises reopening

A popular gym in Dubai's Al Quoz which was gutted by a fire earlier this week is planning a phased reopening within weeks, its owner confirmed, promising a replacement of all equipment and adding more machines to the facility.

Anees Binous said work is under way to restore the gym step by step after the blaze that broke out in the early hours of Tuesday, April 14, at warehouse facilities in Al Quoz. Authorities said the fire was brought under control and no injuries were reported. 

“What happened was tragic, but we are coming back stronger,” said Binous, adding that new machines have already been ordered for the gym. “We will reopen step by step, and members will have even better and newer machines.”

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Binous said that members have already been informed through WhatsApp, Instagram and in person that the gym will be renovated and reopened soon. He said the response from members after the incident had been overwhelming.

“What touched me most is that not even one member complained. They stood by us. That shows this is more than a gym and it is a family,” said Binous.

The owner said the entire facility was gutted in the fire, including the healthy food restaurant inside the gym. But rather than focusing on the damage, he said the support from members has strengthened his resolve to rebuild.

'More than a gym'

The gym, which opened seven years ago, has built a loyal community over time, with many members earlier describing it as much more than a place to exercise. Some members told Khaleej Times that they trained together, supported one another and had formed lasting friendships at the facility. 

Binous said that the gym and its members mean family to him. Learning about the fire, he stated, was deeply disheartening, but the support he received in the hours and days that followed gave him confidence about the future. 

“Material things can be rebuilt, what matters most is the well-being of our community,” said Binous. He also highlighted that the arena had always been “more than a gym”, calling it a home shaped by discipline, effort and memories created over the years 

He expressed his commitment to rebuild the facility, writing on his Instagram account: “We will rise again."

For now, some members are working out elsewhere as they wait for the gym to reopen. But many are focused not on what was lost, but on what comes next.

With replacement equipment already on order and renovation plans moving ahead, Binous said the goal is not simply to restore what was there before, but to return with an improved facility. “This is not the end,” he said.