Large tongues of flame
shooting skywards enveloped The Address Hotel and residential block, which lies
across a plaza from the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, where
people were gathering for a spectacular fireworks display due to mark the start
of the New Year.
"There are no
injuries, thank God," Major-General Rashed al-Matrushi, general director
of the Dubai Civil Defence, told Al Arabiya.
He said the festivities
would go ahead despite the fire, saying: "Of course, it will not affect
the celebration."
The Dubai government's
media office tweeted that civil defence teams were working to evacuate the
300-metre hotel and tackle the fire.
It said the blaze had
started on the 20th floor, on the outside of the tower, and that internal
fire-fighting systems were operating to try to prevent it getting inside the
hotel. Four fire brigade teams were at the site.
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