Photo taken by a mobile device shows Address Downtown Dubai hotel on fire in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, on Dec. 31, 2015. Fire broke out on Thursday in a luxurious hotel in Dubai where people were gathering nearby to watch the New Year's fireworks show. (Xinhua/Liu Yang)
Fire broke out on Thursday in a luxurious hotel in Dubai where people were gathering nearby to watch the New Year's fireworks show.
Some 14 people were lightly injured as the entire building is being evacuated, according to the command-in-chief of Dubai police, who said that the fire has been largely controlled and the New Year's celebration will go as scheduled.
The fire broke out around 9:30 p.m. local time (1730 GMT) at the Address Downtown Dubai hotel, close to the world's tallest building, the iconic Burj Khalifa, and near to the site of a planned fireworks show.
Local media said the fire started from the exterior of the 20th floor of the 63-storey hotel, and the fire control systems prevented the fire from reaching the interior of the building. Debris were seen falling off the exterior.
About four fire-fighting teams are currently working to stop the fire from spreading and ensure public safety. More fire fighters and ambulances are still rushing in.
