Fire engulfs Dubai hotel near world´s tallest building

DUBAI: Fire engulfed a 63-storey skyscraper in downtown Dubai on Thursday night, but there appeared to be no injuries, a civil defence official said. 

Large tongues of flame shooting skywards enveloped the luxury hotel and residential block, which lies across a plaza from the world´s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, where

people were gathering for a spectacular fireworks display due to mark the start of the New Year. 

"There are no injuries, thank God," Major General Rashed al-Matrushi, general director of the Dubai Civil Defence, told the the pan-Arab television channel Al Arabiya. 

He said the festivities would go ahead despite the fire, saying: "Of course, it will not affect the celebration. 

"The Dubai government´s media office tweeted that civil defence teams were working to evacuate the 300-metre hotel and tackle the fire. 

It said the blaze had started on the 20th floor, on the outside of the tower, and that internal fire-fighting 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 (UAE). 

Every year, Dubai stages one of the world´s most spectacular fireworks displays from the 160-storey Burj, which opened in 2010 and stands almost 830 metres (2,722 feet) tall.