Skyscraper with 4000 residents bursts into flames
A massive fire has ripped through a 67-storey residential tower in Dubai's affluent Marina district, forcing thousands of residents to flee during the night.
The blaze broke out at the Marina Pinnacle building at around 9.30pm on Friday (local time), with flames and debris seen pouring from the upper floors.
Emergency crews from Dubai Civil Defence reportedly battled the inferno for six hours before finally bringing it under control in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Miraculously, all 3,820 residents from the building's 764 apartments were safely evacuated, and no injuries have been reported.
In a statement to social media, the Dubai Media Office confirmed ambulance and medical teams were on-site throughout the night, providing both physical and psychological support to evacuees.
'Full medical and mental support has been made available,' authorities said.
Displaced residents have been offered temporary accommodation in hotels through a coordinated effort between authorities and the building's developer. However, with no word yet on when they'll be able to return, many have been left in limbo.
One resident, Indian expat Prateek M, described the terrifying moments he and his young family escaped the flames.
'Neighbours from the next building shouter and told me our tower was on fire,' he told Khaleej Times.
'I grabbed my son and told my wife to head straight to the emergency exit.'
The family were forced to evacuate the smoke-filled stairwells by touch.
'We had to hold on to the shoulders of the person in front of us,' he said.
'Once we reached the parking levels, where it's more ventilated, we could breathe a little better.'
The family is now staying in a hotel while they await access to their home.
'We're safe and that's what matters. But we hope to return soon,' he said.
Footage shared online shows the fire appearing to start on the upper floors of the building; however, the official cause has yet to be confirmed.
The incident follows a kitchen blaze on the 47th floor at Marina Pinnacle in 2015, according to NDTV.
Dubai's transport authority temporarily suspended metro services between Dubai Marina Station and Palm Jumeirah Station to allow firefighters access to the site.
A replacement bus service was also quickly rolled out.
Investigations into the fire are underway, and residents now face a difficult wait to assess the damage – and get their lives back on track.
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