WATCH: Huge fire sweeps through one of world's tallest residential buildings in Dubai, Latest Others News - The New Paper
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WATCH: Huge fire sweeps through one of world's tallest residential buildings in Dubai

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A huge fire engulfed one of the tallest towers of the Gulf emirate of Dubai early Saturday, an AFP correspondent reported.

The blaze has gutted the upper part of The Torch residential skyscraper, which stands 336.1-metre high, triggering an evacuation of nearby towers in the Dubai Marina neighbourhood, according to the correspondent.

 

 

The numerous tall residential buildings in the Dubai Marina area are home to many Western expats. 

 

No deaths have been reported so far, with the blaze brought under control and hundreds of residents of the nearby towers allowed to return to their apartments.

The fire began at the 50th floor of the 79-floor tower, the Gulf News daily said on its website, citing a resident, adding that people were being rescued with smoke inhalation injuries.

Another resident also told the paper that the tower's fire alarm had gone off around three times a week recently. And those alarms had always proven to be a false alert till now.

Gulf News also reported that unusually high winds of around 35km per hour due to a sand storm kept fuelling the flames and fanned the fire further.

Amateur footage posted online showed fire sweeping through the upper floors of the tower with debris falling onto the road as strong winds fanned the flames.

 

 

 

 

A Twitter user posted a photo of the skyscraper after the fire had been put out.

 

 

Dubai, known for its skyline of hugely varied skyscrapers, has seen fires at towers in the past.

In 2012, a huge blaze gutted the 34-Tamweel tower in the nearby Jumeirah Lake Towers district. It was later revealed to have been caused by a cigarette butt thrown into a bin.

Sources: AFP, Gulf News

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