Dubai hotel fire: Mum carried down 15 flights of stairs by son

Dennis Mallari, who was working for a Dubai newspaper, was stranded at the balcony of the hotel’s 48th floor, the report said. “The rising smoke is part of this process”, the Dubai government said, presumably before coughing violently and heading to a different megahotel.

Meanwhile, Dubai authorities have set up a Special Helpline for those affected by the hotel fire.

“Dubai’s successful New Year’s celebration is testimony to its steadfast commitment to its major projects and initiatives”, said the Dubai Media Office in one of its tweets.

“Fire trucks surround the hotel and fire fighters continue to fight a blaze still burning on one of the top floors”.

The broad efforts were coordinated by the Crisis and Disaster Management Committee, headed by Maj Gen Khamis Al Muzainah, commander general of Dubai Police.

The government says 14 people suffered minor injuries, one sustained moderate injury and one person had a heart attack.

All victims have reportedly been discharged from hospital except a pregnant woman and an elderly man, the civil defence said.

The Dubai Civil Defence team was joined by a German squad, which specialise in fighting tower blazes, from Abu Dhabi.

It happened just a short distance from where crowds had gathered for a New Year’s fireworks display. Some restaurants across the road from the hotel were shut at breakfast but opened from lunch onwards.

Firefighters who battled the inferno at the Address Downtown hotel throughout the night are now said to have brought the flames under control, although smoke could still be seen coming from the building the next day.

“Restaurants on the boulevard were cleared and people were evacuated quickly. An investigation is ongoing”.

Hotel guests and employees were safely evacuated, said a spokeswoman of The Address.

He said there was no fire alarm, but they realised there were flames at about 21:00 local time.