Fire rips through Dubai luxury hotel on New Year’s eve

Jan 01, 2016 07:43 IST

A huge fire ripped through a luxury Dubai hotel on Thursday night, injuring 16 people, just a few hours before the emirate celebrated the new year. (REUTERS)

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A huge fire ripped through a luxury Dubai hotel on Thursday night, injuring 16 people, just a few hours before the emirate celebrated the new year. (REUTERS)

The Address Downtown hotel, which is a few blocks from the iconic Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower, was engulfed in flames across several floors as sirens wailed and helicopters hovered overhead. (REUTERS)

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The Address Downtown hotel, which is a few blocks from the iconic Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower, was engulfed in flames across several floors as sirens wailed and helicopters hovered overhead. (REUTERS)

Dubai’s police chief said all the residents of the five star hotel had been evacuated from the scene of the blaze, which had still not been extinguished some three hours after it broke out. (AP)

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Dubai’s police chief said all the residents of the five star hotel had been evacuated from the scene of the blaze, which had still not been extinguished some three hours after it broke out. (AP)

People were gathering to watch New Year's Eve celebrations when the hotel caught on fire without causing casualties, according to authorities. (AFP)

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People were gathering to watch New Year's Eve celebrations when the hotel caught on fire without causing casualties, according to authorities. (AFP)

A wounded woman cries outside the Address Downtown Dubai hotel and residential block after a fire engulfed the skyscraper in downtown Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. (REUTERS)

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A wounded woman cries outside the Address Downtown Dubai hotel and residential block after a fire engulfed the skyscraper in downtown Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. (REUTERS)

Witness Raphael Slama told AFP the fire started at around 9.30pm (1730 GMT) and rapidly spread upwards across dozens of floors. (AFP)

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Witness Raphael Slama told AFP the fire started at around 9.30pm (1730 GMT) and rapidly spread upwards across dozens of floors. (AFP)

Smoke billows from the Address Downtown Hotel. (AFP)

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Smoke billows from the Address Downtown Hotel. (AFP)

A spectacular fireworks display kicked off as planned at midnight (2000 GMT), beginning at the 828 metre (2,700 foot) high Burj Khalifa before spread across the skies of the cash-flush city above thousands of cheering spectators. (AFP)

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A spectacular fireworks display kicked off as planned at midnight (2000 GMT), beginning at the 828 metre (2,700 foot) high Burj Khalifa before spread across the skies of the cash-flush city above thousands of cheering spectators. (AFP)

People watch as flames rip through the Address Downtown hotel. (AFP)

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People watch as flames rip through the Address Downtown hotel. (AFP)

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