Firefighters tackle Dubai blaze after all-night effort, investigate cause

Firefighters last night appeared to have mostly extinguished a blaze that suddenly engulfed one of Dubai’s most prominent skyscrapers on New Year’s Eve, according to witnesses.

Plumes of white smoke still emanated from the charred, 63-storey Address Downtown Dubai hotel and residential block at daybreak, but civil defense crews had mostly extinguished the flames which erupted around 9.30pm (5.30pm Irish time).

Dubai police said on Thursday that the 302m building was evacuated and that only 14 people were lightly injured, but a medic at the scene added that more than 60 people were treated for mild smoke inhalation and problems caused by crowding as they fled the site. Witnesses described seeing flaming debris wafting down from The Address as occupants left, some running.