Fire rips through one of the world's tallest residential buildings in Dubai

 

Hundreds of residents were evacuated after one of the world's tallest residential buildings was engulfed in flames in the early hours of Saturday morning in Dubai.

Pictures and video footage showed a large blaze ripping through multiple floors of the Marina Torch tower.

More than a dozen fire trucks were able to extinguish the blaze several hours after the fire alarm went off around 2am local time.

A witness told Reuters flames shot out from two sides of the building as glass and metal rained down from near the summit of the 79-storey skyscraper, which stands more 330 metres tall (1,105 ft).

 

The building was evacuated after the fire, which started on the 50th floor, spread fast through the high-rise building.

Residents of at least one neighboring tower were told to evacuate as a precaution because of strong winds, but they were later allowed back inside. 

The blaze spread through at least 15 floors as high winds whipped through the area, on the northeastern end of the densely populated Marina district. 

Police blocked off areas around the skyscraper, which still had power during the fire and lights were on in many of the apartments inside.

Debris from the fire cluttered nearby streets after the blaze was extinguished. 

Police on the scene had no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.

One 59th floor resident told Gulf News the fire alarm went off at 2.05am. 

He said: 'There have been three fire alarms every week recently and all were false. This time I heard it and said it must be false. 

'But then I smelt smoke. I took my wallet and ran down along with my wife.'

Digby Taylor, head of operations at GN Broadcasting, added: 'This building has been plagued since opening with false fire alarms on an almost daily basis.' 

The Marina area is home to dozens of towering apartment blocks and hotels, many of them built over the past decade. The apartments are popular with Dubai's large number of expatriate professionals.