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Massive New Year’s Eve fire breaks out at Dubai luxury hotel The Address

The blaze occurred just hours before Dubai was set to celebrate the New Year.

 

Andrew Couts

Tech

Posted on Dec 31, 2015   Updated on May 27, 2021, 10:30 am CDT

A massive blaze has consumed the Address hotel in Dubai, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, just hours before citizens and tourists began celebrating the New Year. 

It it not yet clear whether the inferno has claimed any victims. 

News of the fire, which is believed to have started at 9:30pm local time, spread quickly on Twitter and Periscope, where people nearby shared images of the fire that quickly engulfed much of the 63-story luxury hotel.

https://twitter.com/ReutersLive/status/682626267712065537

https://twitter.com/Caroline1mcd/status/682625279542431744

The Address was reportedly just about to begin its New Year’s Eve fireworks display, but it is not yet clear whether the blaze is related to that event.

The hotel is located in downtown Dubai, near the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.

Update 1:46pm CT, Dec. 31: Officials in Dubai say the fire is now 90 percent under control. 

One person is said to have suffered a heart attack, and 14 people are said to have suffered minor injuries and one person suffered a moderate injury, according to officials. No serious injuries have been reported so far, though medical emergency teams are checking hotel guests. 

Update 1:53pm CT, Dec. 31: Watch live news coverage of the fire below:

This story is developing.

Screengrab via Google Street View

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*First Published: Dec 31, 2015, 3:36 pm CST