Friday, January 1, 2016

Dubai investigates New Year’s Eve fire that engulfed hotel

Investigators in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, launched a probe to determine the cause of a fire that broke out at The Address Downtown luxury hotel Thursday, a couple of hours before the city’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display.

Firefighters worked to snuff out the fire, which raged as the New Year’s event lit up the nearby Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper. It took four teams of firefighters more than 20 hours to completely control the fire.

Dubai’s Media Office said at least 14 people suffered minor injuries, while one person had a heart attack from the overcrowding and smoke at the site. All those injured have since been released from the hospital, except for two — a pregnant woman and an elderly man — who are in good condition and were kept for “close medical observation,” Dubai’s civil defense said in a statement released Friday.

Although the cause of the fire remains unknown, the city’s media office said it originated outside the 20th floor of the hotel.

Dubai’s Media Office tweeted several photos of the damage to the interior and exterior portions of the building.

Flames engulfed the hotel while nearby, tens of thousands had gathered for the massive fireworks display. While onlookers waited for the event, they captured for social media the blaze and smoke that billowed from the 63-story building.

This story was updated.

The post Dubai investigates New Year’s Eve fire that engulfed hotel appeared first on PBS NewsHour.

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