Manama: Qatar's Civil defence has averted a major fire near an under-construction high-rise building in West Bay in Doha.
The fire broke out beside the 38-storey tower near Qatar National Olympic Committee headquarters on Monday at around noon.
Panic among motorists
Thick black smoke engulfed the whole area causing panic among motorists and those working at construction sites in the neighbourhood.
Four teams of civil defence personnel rushed to the site and succeeded in containing the fire in less than 30 minutes, Qatari daily Gulf Times reported.
Eighty firefighters
Brigadier Abdullah Al Sowaidi, senior civil defence official, told reporters that more than 80 firefighters were at the site.
Four water tankers and four fire engines were deployed to battle the blaze. Police helped the firefighters by diverting the traffic along the roads around the area, according to the official.
Al Sowaidi also stressed for the need to impart firefighting training to construction workers, especially those working on the high-rise buildings.
