Tower fire traps workers

Dubai: Four workers died and 67 were injured when a fire engulfed a high-rise building under construction on Shaikh Zayed Road opposite Dubai Marina, hospital officials said.

WAM put the death toll at two and the number of injured at 37.

The fire started at 12.30pm and soon huge plumes of smoke billowed from the 34-storey Fortune Towers, a commercial building located in the Jumeirah Lake Tower development under the management of the Dubai Multi-Commodities Authority.

Traffic came to a standstill for two hours and residents watched helplessly as the workers tried to flee the inferno. An eyewitness said she saw workers huddling on the top floors as firefighters tried to get a helicopter closer to the tower.

Brigadier Dr Jamal Al Merri, Deputy Commander of Dubai Police, said: "All rescue teams, including police, civil defence and paramedics treated the fire as a crisis."

He said it was brought under control in 75 minutes. A Dubai Civil Defence team trained to deal with with high-rise fires swung into action, evacuating workers, about 350 of whom were trapped inside.

The head of the trauma centre at Rashid Hospital said the workers - mainly Chinese, Indians and Bangladeshis - were treated for smoke inhalation. He said one of them was dead on arrival and three reportedly died at the site. An investigation has started.

- With additional inputs from Bassam Za'za, Alia Al Theeb, Zoi Constantine and Siham Al Najami/Staff Reporters