Fire engulfs Dubai skyscraper

In the megacity of Dubai, a fire broke out on New Year's Eve in The Address hotel, in the area where a massive fireworks display was being prepared.

The five-star hotel is near the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. At least one person suffered a heart attack from the smoke and over-crowding during evacuation, and 14 suffered minor injuries.

Organizers said the Burj Khalifa had been fitted with 400,000 LED lights and 1.6 tons of fireworks would be used in the display.

Burning debris rained down from The Address building as fire trucks raced to the scene. It was unclear what caused the fire, which ran up the 63-story building. The Address has 626 luxury apartments and 196 hotel rooms, according to Skyscraper Center, which tracks skyscrapers.

The fire engulfed the skyscraper in downtown Dubai on Thursday night, and burned into Friday morning.

Large tongues of flame shot skyward and enveloped the luxury hotel and residential block, as thousands of people were gathering for a spectacular fireworks display to mark the start of the New Year.

Despite the raging blaze, Major General Rashed al-Matrushi, general director of Dubai Civil Defense, told the Pan-Arab television channel Al Arabiya that the festivities would go ahead.

"Of course, it will not affect the celebration," he said.

The Dubai government's media office tweeted that civil defense teams were working to evacuate the 300-meter hotel and douse the fire.

It said the blaze had started on the 20th floor, on the outside of the tower, and that internal firefighting systems were operating to try to prevent it getting inside the hotel. Four fire brigade teams were at the site.

Dubai is a trade, tourism and investment hub for the Gulf region, and is one of seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates.

Every year, Dubai stages one of the world's most spectacular fireworks displays from the 160-story Burj, which opened in 2010.

AP - Xinhua