Early morning fire breaks out in Dubai industrial area

An early morning fire in an industrial area in Dubai has sent thick black smoke over the horizon, only a few kilometers from the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.

An early morning fire in an industrial area in Dubai has sent thick black smoke over the horizon, only a few kilometers from the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.

The fire broke out only a few kilometers from the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.(Reuters file)

Flames shot out of a building in the Ras al Khor Industrial Area around 5:45 am on Tuesday. Police and civil defense forces battled the blaze and brought it under control in about an hour as the sun rose over Dubai’s skyscraper-studded skyline.

Police at the scene stopped onlookers from shooting video of the fire and made them delete images off their mobile phones. Officers said there may have been people inside the building at the time of the fire.

Civil defence and police have yet to make an official statement on the fire.