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Fire sweeps through Dubai skyscraper | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A huge fire has broken out in a high-rise hotel in central Dubai close to the world's tallest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa. | A huge fire has broken out in a high-rise hotel in central Dubai close to the world's tallest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa. |
Burning debris could be seen falling from the 300m-tall (1,000-feet) building, called The Address, as firefighters arrived at the scene. | |
It was not immediately clear whether there were any casualties. | It was not immediately clear whether there were any casualties. |
The blaze erupted ahead of a major New Year's Eve fireworks display, due to be held at the Burj Khalifa. | The blaze erupted ahead of a major New Year's Eve fireworks display, due to be held at the Burj Khalifa. |
There is no indication so far of the cause. | |
Up to two million people are expected in central Dubai for the fireworks. Crowds gathering to watch the display have been asked to leave the area around the hotel. | |
Officials insist that the New Year celebrations will continue as scheduled. | |
Flames engulfed much of the building, a luxury five-star hotel and apartment complex with more than 60 storeys. Black smoke could be seen covering the skyline. | |
The Dubai government tweeted (in Arabic) that the fire had started on the 20th floor. | The Dubai government tweeted (in Arabic) that the fire had started on the 20th floor. |
A tourist, Michelle Duque told the BBC: "All of a sudden we saw this huge black plume of black smoke coming between the Khalifa Tower and the hotel. | |
"The flames burst out really big and before we knew it the whole of the Address Hotel was covered in orange flames." | "The flames burst out really big and before we knew it the whole of the Address Hotel was covered in orange flames." |
Another tourist told the BBC that she saw lot of debris coming down from the building. | |
"The problem is millions of people inside the Burj Khalifa cannot move anywhere because we [are] kind of waiting for the fireworks display." | |
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