A massive fire has broken out in a Dubai skyscraper near the site of New Year’s Eve fireworks.
Dubai right now! #horrific!! Address Hotel on fire pic.twitter.com/Q5qzGuBYRO
— Atieh S (@AtiehS) December 31, 2015
Video from the scene shows flames shooting through the length of the building, which is reportedly the site of The Address Mall and Hotel.
The address downtown #Dubai #fire pic.twitter.com/Ohn3kZXKNl
— Micheal Salameh (@michealsalameh) December 31, 2015
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The Address is a 5-star hotel with nearly 200 rooms and over 600 apartments. It is the 6th-tallest building in the city, which is noted for containing some of the tallest buildings in the world like the 154-floor Burj Khalifa, shown in the above Vines for comparison.
The Dubai government’s official Twitter feed indicated there were firefighters on site dealing with safety issues and internal firefighting measures had been activated to deal with the blaze. They also noted that the fire hasn’t spread to other, nearby structures.
The fire appeared to break out on the 20th floor, according to a CNN live report, and spread quickly. Social media posts also indicated people were running through the streets fleeing the fire as pieces of the building appeared to fall away.
People are running away! This is so horrific!!!!! Falling on people's houses pic.twitter.com/gq9AXEyTJr
— Atieh S (@AtiehS) December 31, 2015
Remarkably, Dubai officials have said the New Year’s fireworks display will not be cancelled.
. @DXBMediaOffice: New Year celebrations in Dubai will continue as scheduled #MyDubaiNewYear
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) December 31, 2015
Gulf News, which reports out of the United Arab Emirates, stated that there were 14 “minor” injuries related to the fire, citing Dubai’s police chief, Maj.Gen. Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina. This information conflicted with a Reuters report quoting the director of Dubai’s Civil Defense, Major General Rashed al-Matrushi, who said there were no injuries.
Reuters also reported that after more than three hours at least 90 percent of the blaze was considered “under control.”