Dubai: Firefighters have put out a fire that broke out in a residential building in the Dubai Marina on Sunday.
A video on social media earlier showed flames spreading in the building.
Mate in #Dubai just sent me this. Another tower block #fire..... Hope everyone is safe. Why do these keep happening? pic.twitter.com/296mzJ0KEp
— Shooey (@Shooey_) May 13, 2018
Residents have identified the burning building as Zen Tower, near the Marina Mall. The tower has been evacuated, according to the Dubai Media Office. Police have also cordoned off the area.
“I live near Zen Tower and saw a lot of residents coming towards our building. There were volunteers handing out water to the rescue team and to the residents. The fire appears to be pretty much under control at the moment (12noon),” Syed Hussain Zamir, resident of Dubai Marina, told Gulf News.
Firefighters from the Dubai Civil Defence put out the flames in 45 minutes, according to the Dubai Media Office, adding that there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Major General Rashid Al Matroushi, director of Dubai Civil Defence, said the fire started at 10:44am.
“Firefighters from five stations were dispatched to the building and controlled the fire within 45 minutes. The fire happened from outside the building and residents were evacuated successfully and no injuries reported,” Major General Al Matroushi said.
Despite windy and dusty weather, firefighters brought down the fire and start the cooling operation while residents moved to safe locations, according to Al Matroushi.
More than a dozen emergency services vehicles are at scene, with residents of the tower and onlookers gathered nearby.
Mona, an Egyptian expat who lives in the first floor, said she saw smoke at around 10am and ran out.
“The fire alarm was ringing. We just ran out. We left our cat behind. I'm here with my husband. Our child is in school right now,” she added.
A police official could be heard asking some of the affected residents of the tower to write down their names on a paper and board a bus.
Some people are distributing free drinking water at the scene. Worried residents could be seen with tears in eyes as they watched their building burn.
The Zen is a 14-storey residential development in the Dubai Marina. Zen is located on the western periphery of the Marina with frontage along Shaikh Zayed Road.
The tower has a number of apartments ranging from one-, two-, and three-bedroom units as well as 4- and 5-bedroom penthouses.
With input from Faisal Masudi and Ali Al Shouk, Staff Reporters
