A massive fire has broken out at a luxury Dubai apartment block - raining smouldering debris down on the floors and roads below. Firefighters
are battling the blaze at the 75-storey Sulafa Tower in the Dubai
Marina, United Arab Emirates, with hundreds of people reportedly
evacuated from the block.
They are now understood to have taken control of the fire, according to reports from the city.
Videos posted online showed huge sections of the building - possibly as much as two thirds of the block - engulfed by flames.
Debris
could be seen falling from the skyscraper, a popular home for ex-pats,
which is 285m tall - making it the 23rd tallest building in Dubai and
127th tallest in the world.
It is just a walk away from the famous Palm Jumeirah artificial archipelago.
Time Out Dubai said the fire is believed to have started on Sulafa Tower's 35th floor at 2.48pm on Wednesday.
It said debris had landed on balconies on the lower floors, which then helped the fire spread.
"The fire has spread down both sides of the building now and is getting worse.
"My mate also lives in the same block and hasn't renewed his house insurance yet this year so if his flat goes up he's done for.
"Residents
in surrounding buildings are also now being evacuated because they are
worried they may also catch fire. Debris is floating down from the
building and is landing in neighbouring swimming pools."
Another resident: "I was at work at the time and
I'm now standing outside the building. The whole building has been
evacuated but the fire is still spreading."
Reports suggest the roof of the building's car park was also ablaze at one stage.
At least 10 fire engines are at the scene and residents have been evacuated from the block.
Time Out said The Westin Dubai Mina Sehayi was offering refuge to residents who have been evacuated.
According to the Dubai Media Office, there are no casualties
with videos emerging of residents sitting on the roads beside the block
with paramedics on the scene.
Roads around the building have been closed to traffic.
In 2012, residents of the same block, which has 700 flats, were evacuated by a fire in an apartment on the 36th floor.
Dubai Sulafa Tower fire: hundreds evacuated after blaze rips through luxury marina apartments
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