Dubai enters 2016 with a blaze

A fire engulfs The Address Hotel in downtown Dubai in the United Arab Emirates hours before a large New Year fireworks display was set to start nearby from the Burj Khalifa tower, the world’s largest building, on December 31, 2015.

He told Sky News there had been no warning of the fire, adding: “It is slightly worrying that the alarm went off when it was properly on fire”.

Borg said that the hotel staff and firemen managed to coordinate the evacuation professionally and that the descent down the Address Downtown Hotel took around 20 minutes.

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

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

Dubai police said on Thursday that the building was evacuated and 14 people were lightly injured.

At least 16 people received medical assistance, majority for minor injuries caused by overcrowding and smoke, the Dubai government said Thursday night.

“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. The fireworks are put on the Burj Khalif, Burj Al Arab -a sail-shaped construction and over an artificially created palm-shaped island.

Christopher and Annaliz Borg told timesofmalta.com “We were at the hotel’s 63rd floor and saw smoke rising up from outside”.

Kenneth Flynn, who had been in the hotel just before it was evacuated, told of panic and “people crushing each other” as they tried to get out. The “very luxurious” building is usually packed with local and foreign revelers this time of the year wanting to see the firework display.

They later regained water pressure and began spraying the building, according to the AP. A half hour later, he was able to get the attention of rescue workers and was safely evacuated.

Fireworks displays were also held in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the country of seven emirates.

He said he had to strap his wheelchair-bound mother to his back as it was the only of getting her out of the building.

The city’s New Year’s Eve fireworks, including those at the nearby Burj Khalifa, went ahead as planned.

Officials have said the fire erupted from the outside of the building on its 20th floor but the exact cause was not yet known.

A couple’s photo in front of a blazing Dubai hotel has been called “the most inappropriate selfie ever”.