Dubai: Fire fighters have doused a blaze that broke out in Almas Tower earlier on Sunday afternoon.
The fire, reported in Jumeirah Lake Towers, broke out at 2.55pm, according to eye witnesses.
The Dubai Civil Defence said no injuries were reported.
Fire at Almas Tower in JLT doused off, no injuries reported, said Dubai Civil Defence https://t.co/w2ZYo5FK0Z pic.twitter.com/Q3APRSHlht
— Gulf News (@gulf_news) April 22, 2018
Update: The Civil Defence are flying a drone around Almas Tower to asses the damage.
The flames started out at the top of the 68th floor. Firefighters were immediately dispatched to the area.
“It is a fire in a pole at the top of the tower. We received the emergency call at 2.55pm and the tower was evacuated from residents,” a Dubai Civil Defence spokesperson told Gulf News.
Pictures by Muhammad Sabir, Gulf News reader
A witness said that the skyscraper was evacuated. Adjacent roads were cordoned off to enable quicker access for firefighters and emergency workers.
The witness said that ash was flying off the building onto the street and the black smoke was very prominent. The smoke was moving down the tower, but the flames remained benign to the pole area.
The whole front section of Almas Tower is closed off.
Breaking: A fire started today at 2.55pm in JLT's Almas Tower
— Gulf News (@gulf_news) April 22, 2018
Video by Alessandro Agosta, Gulf News reader
Read more here: https://t.co/RUqaD4dd3N pic.twitter.com/iSGzW8p67W
Video by Alessandro Agosta, Gulf News reader
Almas Tower has 68 stories and was completed in 2009.
It was the tallest building in Dubai, until 2009, when it was surpassed by the Burj Khalifa. It is primarily an office building and remains the tallest building at the Jumeirah Lakes Towers freezone off Dubai's Shaikh Zayed Road.
Almas is on fire, yo. 😲 #Dubai #JLT pic.twitter.com/04hyLZ9b1u
— Adnan (@adnaanjp) April 22, 2018
According to the Dubai Media Office, Dubai Civil Defence earlier on Sunday worked to put out the minor fire that broke out at the tower.
Dubai Civil Defence is working to put out a minor fire that broke out in Almas Tower in Jumeirah Lakes Towers. All employees and visitors are being evacuated and no injuries have been reported so far.
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) April 22, 2018
#AlmasTower in #JLT #Dubai on fire hope everybody is safe. pic.twitter.com/RAmTrafhI0
— José Berrocoso (@JoseBerrocoso) April 22, 2018
With inputs from Ali Al Shouk, Staff Reporter