An enormous fire has engulfed the Address Hotel in downtown Dubai, officials confirmed within the last hour.
A fire has been reported in the Address Downtown hotel. Authorities are currently on-site to address the incident swiftly and safely #Dubai
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) December 31, 2015
Dubai: Fire at hotel close to planned Old Year’s Night fireworks display pic.twitter.com/46yKMeWwPy
— CCN TV6 (@tv6tnt) December 31, 2015
The five-star luxury hotel houses over 200 rooms and 600 apartments. No injuries have been reported. It’s not immediately clear what started the fire, but authorities are on site investigating the incident.
BREAKING: People seen fleeing as fire erupts in building near Dubai NYE’s fireworks display. Tune in to @MSNBC. https://t.co/o2y3w9kp1W
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) December 31, 2015
In February, a fire spread through the Marina Torch, a massive residential skyscraper in Dubai. The fire broke out overnight and a sandstorm rendered firefighters’ efforts to douse the flames difficult.
UPDATE–1:22 p.m. ET: CNN showed new footage of the fire during its initial broadcast of the events in Dubai.
UPDATE–1:26 p.m. ET: The Associated Press posted raw footage of fire in Dubai.
UPDATE–1:29 p.m. ET: Dubai resident Maha Abouelnebin told CNN that, while she and her family were having dinner in the hotel at 9:30 p.m. local time, she saw “what appeared to be a low flame and thought maybe someone was cooking something.” When she realized it was a much larger fire, they “decided we needed to get out of there.”
Meanwhile, CNN’s Jim Sciutto reports that the government claims the fire started on the 20th floor of the building.
#Dubai Govt says fire started on 20th floor from the exterior, four teams of firefighters on scene pic.twitter.com/FojSjq8ezA
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) December 31, 2015
UPDATE–1:34 p.m. ET: The Dubai Media Office confirmed that the fire began on the 20th floor, though “outside” the building.
The fire at the Address Downtown reported to have originated from outside 20th floor of hotel, has not spread inside
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) December 31, 2015
UPDATE–1:41 p.m. ET: Now the Dubai Media Office is claiming that the fire’s spread has largely been prevented by the building’s fire extinguisher system.
Internal fire extinguishers are preventing spread of fire inside the hotel
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) December 31, 2015
UPDATE–1:44 p.m. ET: Despite the blaze, Dubai Media Office says the city’s New Year’s celebrations will continue as planned.
. @DXBMediaOffice: New Year celebrations in Dubai will continue as scheduled #MyDubaiNewYear
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) December 31, 2015
UPDATE–1:47 p.m. ET: Reuters, via VICE, reports that a “civil defense official appeared on Al Arabiya TV and said that no injuries had resulted from the fire so far.” Said official also confirmed that celebrations in the city would continue as planned.
UPDATE–1:54 p.m. ET: More and more amateur footage of the fire is popping up online from people on the ground and in other buildings in Dubai.
Dubai right now! #horrific!! Address Hotel on fire pic.twitter.com/Q5qzGuBYRO
— Atieh S (@AtiehS) December 31, 2015
As well as more local and international news crews.
Fire at The Address hotel, Downtown Dubai (Video by KT surfer Deepak Bulchandani) pic.twitter.com/2zDhcPH1h3
— Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) December 31, 2015
WATCH close-up footage of a major fire that broke out in a residential building near Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. https://t.co/dZfKCnmXZr
— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 31, 2015
UPDATE–3:16 p.m. ET: Despite the ongoing fire, Dubai put on its pre-planned fireworks show for New Year’s Eve.
We will update this post as more information becomes available.
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