1.2068756-3877416940
Flames shoot up the sides of the Torch tower in Dubai Marina. Image Credit: Mitch Williams/Reuters

Dubai: Fire hit The Marina Torch tower in Dubai Marina overnight on Thursday, prompting the evacuation of the 87-storey residential building.

Firefighters managed to control the blaze within two hours, at 2:58am, and started the cooling process in the early hours of Friday morning.

Dubai Civil Defense and Dubai Police evacuated the building quickly. No injuries or casualties were reported.

On Friday morning, clean-up operations started as soon as the fire was put out.

The Torch tower has 87 floors and 676 flats, Dubai Civil Defence spokesperson said. 38 flats were damaged in the fire; 64 floors were affected by the blaze, the spokesperson said.

Firefighters received the alert at around 12:45am, about the high-rise blaze which affected 64 floors, officials said.

The fire erupted on the 26th floor and raged upwards, the spokesperson said.

Plumes of smoke were seen rising into the air from the tower, with debris falling below shortly after midnight.

Images and videos of the building ablaze were posted on social media.

"Dubai Civil Defence announces that the fire at the Torch Tower has been brought under control. Cooling operations are underway," said the Dubai Media Office tweet.

Major General Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, Director General of Dubai Civil Defence, was at the fire incident alongside Maj-Gen Abdullah Khalifa Al Merri, commander in chief of Dubai Police, to closely supervise the operations.

In pictures: Fire hits Dubai Marina Torch

Major fire incidents in the UAE


EARLIER REPORT

"Smoke is everywhere," one eyewitness told Gulf News as the fire broke out. "The streets are covered in debris."

A Dubai Police spokesperson told Gulf News the fire broke out on 9th floor and spread to upper four floors.

"It's big fire started on 9th floor. Civil defence and police in the scene now to control the fire," the spokesperson said.



The Torch tower on fire. Credit: Ali Adil/Gulf News reader


Dubai Media Office tweeted that Dubai Civil Defence teams were trying to control the fire and firefighters from four fire stations were participating.

"Dubai Police will be handling inquiries related to the fire in Torch Tower and those affected by it through emergency number 999," the Dubai Media Office tweeted.

Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum attended the scene of the fire. Watch a video here:



The Dubai Police Chief Maj-Gen Abdullah Khalifa Al Merr (right), with Maj-Gen Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, Director General of Dubai Civil Defence, were on site to supervise the operations. Credit: Dubai Civil Defence


Dubai authorities were working on providing shelter at the Princess Tower for Marina Torth tower residents affected by the fire.

Those needing assistance were urged to call 999.

The Marina Torch tower, which stands at 86 stories (79 of which are above-ground) is one of the world's tallest residential buildings, rising to 337 metres, with 676 apartments.

The same building was also hit by a fire in 2015.



Dubai Civil Defense rescued cats and pets in Torch Tower fire. Credit: Dubai Civil Defence

 

1.2068756-3639521367
The Torch tower in Dubai Marina after the blaze was extinguished. Image Credit: Dubai Media Office
View gallery as list