Huge Luxury Hotel on Fire in Dubai Amid New Year’s Celebrations VIDEO
A massive 63 story luxury hotel in Dubai is engulfed in flames just hours before the New Year’s 2016 celebration.
The hotel, known as the Address Hotel is next to the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper in which the New Year’s Eve fireworks were to be launched from. (Videos Below)
The fire started around 10:30pm local time. Half of the hotel is a blaze as 20 stories are on fire.
People down below are running as chunks of firey debris is falling from the building.
It is not clear yet what has caused this fire, but local authorities say that only 14 people are injured and one heart attack victim.
On Twitter, a user posted a video with what appears to be the start of the fire. It appears to be on top of a building attached or parking garage.
The Address Hotel in Dubai is on fire. According to @JamesChaib, that’s where it started pic.twitter.com/MxXzfg1Jbf
— andy telasai (@andytelasai) December 31, 2015
Several witnesses are saying they are hearing explosions coming from the hotel when the fire first started.
Big explosion just heard. Was it inside the hotel? Nye #TheAddressDubai #Dubai pic.twitter.com/zdUlJpFR2v
— Sohini Datta (@sohinid) December 31, 2015
With heightened security around the world this New Year’s Eve one can’t help but to question if this was terror related.
UAE has been involved in the Western led coalition to defeat the Islamic State and has had warnings and direct threats from ISIS in various videos they have released.
People are running away! This is so horrific!!!!! Falling on people’s houses pic.twitter.com/gq9AXEyTJr
— Atieh S (@AtiehS) December 31, 2015
The Address Dubai right now.. pic.twitter.com/eo0KGLYLLB
— Basil Al-Morad (@BasilAlMorad) December 31, 2015