DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A fire engulfed a high-rise residential building in the United Arab Emirates early Tuesday before being brought under control, according to videos circulating online.
No injuries were immediately reported following the fire in Ajman, one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, which also includes the futuristic cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Footage showed a corner of the building engulfed in flames reaching from ground level to the top, with debris falling into the street below.
Ajman News, a local outlet, later reported that the fire had been brought under control. Images on his Instagram showed the blackened exterior of the building and firefighters on the street below.
There was no immediate comment from UAE officials.
The United Arab Emirates has seen a number of similar fires in recent years that have been linked to flammable coatings on many of the country’s ubiquitous skyscrapers.
On New Year’s Eve in 2015, a fire swept through an upscale hotel and residential complex near Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the tallest skyscraper in the world. Fifteen people were injured in the fire and the evacuation. Dubai police ended up blaming the exposed wiring for the fire.
Regulations imposed after this fire require that all of these coatings be replaced with fire-retardant materials.