Frightened residents of the Dubai skyscraper devastated by a blazing inferno this morning claim officials failed to fully replace the risky paneling after a similar fire at another building.
The 35-story block, which is part of a tower complex called 8 Boulevard Walk near Burj Khalifa, was built by state-backed developer Emaar and burst into flames at 2.20am today.
The fire ripped open the side of the structure in the same manner seen with other flames fueled by combustible casing material.
A local resident told The Associated Press that the skyscraper has cladding that officials wanted to replace after a similar fire pierced an iconic tower on New Year’s Eve 2015.
However, that paneling has not been replaced throughout the building, said the resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
Major state-backed developer Emaar declined to comment on the disguise but said no one was injured in today’s fire.
About 30 percent of Emaar is owned by a sovereign wealth fund, and its CEO says he won’t do anything without first speaking to Sheikh Muhammad bin Rashid al-Maktoum, ruler of Dubai.
A fire ripped through all floors of the 35-story apartment building in Dubai near the Burj Khalifa this morning
Local Bindu Rai, who lives across the street from the building, told National World, “My mother woke up when the fire broke out with her entire room lit up.” Pictured: Fire damage after the fire
After the fire was extinguished, burn marks were seen stretching across the building
Fire damage to the tower is visible after the fire at the block of flats this morning
A company spokesman said: “We can confirm that a fire broke out at 8 Boulevard Walk early this morning. The situation was contained with the support of the relevant government authorities and no casualties were reported.
‘Emaar adheres to strict protocols and regulations. We take the health and safety of our residents very seriously and are working with the relevant authorities to investigate the incident.
“Emaar is also working with residents affected by the incident to ensure they are cared for.”
Dramatic footage showed flames engulfing an entire corner of the building from top to bottom.
By 3.45am the fire was out and this morning black burn marks were visible climbing the building.
While some types of cladding can be made from fireproof material, experts say those that have caught fire in Dubai and elsewhere were not designed to meet more stringent safety standards and were often fitted to buildings with no breaks to avoid a possible blaze to slow down or stop.
These include the 2017 Grenfell fire in London, which killed 72 people in a fire on British soil since World War II.
Cladding regulations are now in place for new builds in Dubai. In 2017, a civil defense official said those with flammable cladding on their buildings “would have to change” them under normal maintenance schedules, but it remains unclear if this is being enforced in this city-state, one of seven that make up the autocratic United Arab States became emirates.
On New Year’s Eve 2015, a fire engulfed the Address Downtown, one of Dubai’s poshest hotels, also near the Burj Khalifa.
Speaking to National World, Bindu Rai, who lives across the street from the building, said: “My mother woke up when the fire broke out with her entire room lit up.
“My building is across Boulevard 8 and it appeared to us that the paneling on the left side of the building was on fire from top to bottom.
“The fire had spread to two apartments that were somewhere halfway. For the rest of the building it was limited to the outside.’
Miss Bindu told the publication she could see debris falling to the ground at one point, as well as firefighters and rescue workers at the scene.
Her friend, who lives near the building, told her that residents had been evacuated and some were taken to the Rove Hotel.
The fire was not immediately confirmed by Dubai Police and the Dubai Media Office and Emaar have not yet released any statements.
Numerous fires in buildings in Dubai in recent years have raised questions about safety, with concerns about the materials used in construction.
In April, a large fire broke out in the Swissotel Al Murooj Hotel. Nobody was injured.
A local resident said she saw debris fall to the ground. In the picture: The fire-damaged building on the right
Locals saw firefighters and rescue workers at the scene. She was told some residents had been taken to the Rove Hotel. Pictured: People assess the damage after the fire
Investigators survey the fire damage following the inferno at 8 Boulevard Walk early this morning
On New Year’s Eve 2015, the Address Downtown caught fire at around 9:30pm Dubai time, with the flames appearing to have reached around 40 floors of the 63-story building.
The fire victims described how people climbed over each other in a hurry to escape the burning building. A Brit had to carry his disabled mother on his back.
A paramedic said at least 60 people were injured, many with crush injuries, with officials saying one person had suffered a heart attack.
The 200-room hotel — which also has 600 private apartments — would likely have been packed with people waiting in their rooms for the best view of the fireworks at Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper, which sits directly across the lake have address.
Those waiting below faced the risk of being hit by flaming debris falling from the building.
A view of the building near the Burj Khalifa in Dubai before the fire broke out this morning