Dubai’s Address Hotel smoulders after New Year’s Eve blaze

Strong winds delayed the efforts of firefighters to put out the blaze.

Witnesses said the fire prompted the evacuation of several nearby skyscrapers.

The Dubai media office said it had started on the twentieth floor of the luxury hotel and residential tower.

The hotel, like the mall, are both owned by Emaar Properties.

A COUPLE has attracted criticism after taking a smiling selfie in front of a burning luxury hotel.

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

Photographers were able to capture the aftermath from inside and outside the skyscraper – showing the extent of the damage – including the water, smoke and fire damaged conditions of what once was a luxurious lobby.

At the Address hotel, which describes itself as “the premier five-star hotel” in Dubai, flames appeared to be gnawing away at portions of the high-rise, even as government officials said the blaze was largely contained.

Footage of his survival shows debris raining down from the almost 1,000-foot building.

Dubai continued with its New Year celebrations as the blaze engulfed a 63-storyed high rise building just opposite the highest tower in the world, the 160-storey Burj Khalifa where everyone had gathered to see the firework display.

A civil defence official told Al Arabiya that Dubai’s New Year celebrations will proceed. But the metropolis, one of seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, may face questions about the safety of its rapidly constructed cityscape, especially after another famous high-rise caught fire a year ago.

The city went ahead with its New Year’s Eve fireworks displays just hours after the fire broke out.

Downtown Dubai set off a massive fireworks display Thursday night despite the blaze, launching fireworks from buildings all over the area.

Then she said she realized, “Oh my God … that’s a fire”.

The fireworks were scheduled to light up the sky around the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab and later down near the Dubai Marina.

But as midnight struck, with the Address building continuing to burn, onlookers cheered as a swirling mass of multicoloured fireworks enveloped the Burj Khalifa.

“This is her first Christmas and new year out here so we thought it would be a great time to visit and celebrate together”.