Dubai's Record-Breaking 1,100ft Torch Tower 'Full of Expats' Bursts into Horrific Flames in Chilling Echo of Grenfell UK disaster
- Footage shows fire climbing up the 79-storey The Torch, a residential building popular with expats in Dubai
- Burning debris can be seen spiraling down to ground firefighters desperately attempt to tackle the flames
- Torch Tower is the fifth tallest residential building in the world and stands at more than 330 metres (1,105 ft)
- The same skyscraper was devastated by fire in 2015, with the buildings flammable cladding being blamed
Daily Mail UK, 8 August 2017.
Fire 'spread rapidly' through a skyscraper in Dubai's world-famous Marina in the early hours of this morning.
Alarming footage showed flames climbing up the 79-storey Torch Tower, a residential building popular with expats in the United Arab Emirates tourism hotspot.
Burning debris could be seen spiraling down to the ground below as firefighters desperately tackled the blaze.
The same skyscraper was devastated by fire in 2015 and the building's flammable cladding, which was similar to that used in Grenfell Tower, was blamed for fuelling the flames.
Footage shows flames climbing up the 79-storey Torch Tower, a residential building in Dubai Marina
Burning debris can be seen spiraling down to the ground below as firefighters desperately attempt to tackle the blaze
Flames could be seen shooting out from tthe sides of the building and glass and debris rained down from the skyscraper.
Horrified Dubai residents and tourists shared photos and videos of the flaming debris falling from the building.
Twitter user Ernesto Che Guevara said: 'If you are in there get out! It's spreading rapidly up the building.'
Rob Shepherd tweeted: 'Another major fire just broken out at Torch Tower Dubai friends and relatives just escaping now.'
Cara Spillane added: 'Terrifying to see Torch Tower, in the area I live in on fire now. Hope everyone gets out OK.'
'Fire further spreading, reaching the parked cars', wrote Sabine Abu Sabaa.
The Dubai Media Office confirmed the civil defence was tackling the fire and no injuries had yet been reported.
Sabine Abu Sabaa tweeted a photo of the burning building and wrote: 'Fire further spreading, reaching the parked cars'
The Dubai Media Office confirmed the Civil Defence was tackling the fire. Twitter user Ernesto Che Guevara said: 'If you are in there get out! It's spreading rapidly up the building'
Dubai Police Commander in Chief and Dubai Civil Defence Director General at the scene of the Torch Tower fire
Horrified Dubai residents and tourists shared photos and videos of the flaming debris falling from the building
A spokesman said:
'Firefighting squads from four civil defence stations have been deployed to bring the fire under control and ensure safety of residents.
'Dubai Police Commander in Chief & Dubai Civil Defence Director General are on site following measures to control the fire at the Torch Tower.
'No injuries have been reported so far. Dubai Police will be handling inquiries related to the fire and those affected by it through the emergency number.'
The cause of the fire is not yet known but civil defence officials said they had 'successfully evacuated' the building and were investigating.
The Torch Tower is the fifth tallest residential building in the world and stands at more than 330 metres (1,105 ft). Footage shows flames climbing up the 79-storey Torch Tower, a residential building in the United Arab Emirates tourism hotspot
Emergency vehicles are pictured near the scene of the fire that broke out at Dubai's Torch Tower
After a series of recent fires, Dubai is introducing a new code for skyscrapers this year, insisting that full-scale mockups of the facade are fire-tested rather than just the individual materials
The Torch Tower is the fifth tallest residential building in the world and stands at more than 330 metres (1,105 ft).
It became the tallest residential building in the world in 2011 but lost the record the following year to the neighbouring Princess Tower.
In February 2015 hundreds of residents were evacuated from the same building after it was engulfed in flames in the early hours of the morning.
The blaze ripped through multiple floors of the new building, in the expat-heavy Marina district of the city.
Flames shot out from two sides of the building and glass and metal rained down from the skyscraper.
After a series of recent fires, Dubai is introducing a new code for skyscrapers this year, insisting that full-scale mockups of the facade are fire-tested rather than just the individual materials.
External sprinklers are also being encouraged for new buildings.
Torch Tower became the tallest residential building in the world in 2011 but lost the record the following year to the neighbouring Princess Tower
The cause of the fire is not yet known but civil defence officials said they had 'successfully evacuated' the building.
According to UAE civil defence teams, the fire spread uncontrollably partly due to flammable exterior cladding panels, similar to those used in Grenfell Tower.
The combination of cheap combustible cladding and insulation has been blamed for the deadly spread of the June 14 fire in west London, which killed at least 80 people.
Experts in the UK have previously voiced concerns that building regulations are unclear on the use of combustible cladding, which paved the way to their use by contractors.
Unlike Grenfell, residents of the Torch were able to escape unharmed. Internal fire alarms and building management sent workers knocking on doors to ensure residents got out.
In contrast, Grenfell residents reported not hearing an alarm. Firefighter also told people to remain in their flats, believing that they could contain the fire.
The same skyscraper was devastated by fire in 2015 and the building's flammable cladding, which was similar to that used in Grenfell Tower, was blamed for fuelling the flames.
Quote:
Towering Inferno: Britons Among Hundreds Evacuated from Torch Tower in 2015 Fire
In February 2015 Britons told of their terror as hundreds of residents were evacuated from Torch Tower when a fire broke out (pictured)
In February 2015 Britons told of their terror as hundreds of residents were evacuated from one of the world's tallest residential buildings after it was engulfed in flames in the early hours of the morning.
Pictures and video footage showed the large blaze rip through multiple floors of the Marina Torch tower in the expat-heavy Marina district of the city.
More than a dozen fire were called on to extinguish after the fire alarm went off around 2am local time.
One witness said flames shot out from two sides of the building as glass and metal rained down from near the summit of the skyscraper.
Major General Rashid Al Matroushi said around 100 officers from nine civil defence stations took part in putting out the blaze.
Two residents of the Torch, who were evacuated from the building, were told the fire started on the 52nd floor. They said the flaming material fell and set lower parts of the building ablaze.
Steve Short, 53, of Liverpool, praised the work of firefighters who arrived quickly.
He said fire alarms alerted residents and building management sent workers knocking on doors to ensure residents got out.
Residents of at least one neighboring tower were told to evacuate as a precaution because of strong winds, but they were later allowed back inside.
The director of Dubai Civil Defence, said the fire 'proved Dubai Civil Defence's ability to control the fire and stop it from spreading to the tower's other wings and to nearby buildings by following strict protocols to break in quickly and reach the source of the fire on the 51st floor.'
He added:
'As daylight broke, residents waiting to check the extent of the damage at their homes could see the external cladding on the corners of the building was charred black and mangled for dozens of floors.
'Clean-up crews dressed in orange uniforms swept up pieces of shattered glass and other debris covering the street outside the building.'
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Dubai's Record-Breaking 1,100ft Tower >Now Towering Inferno >Full of Expats
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