Fire erupts at construction site in Dubai

DUBAI // Five portacabins in the same compound at a construction site off Sheikh Zayed Road in Al Barsha caught fire this afternoon.

Witnesses said workers at the site fled as soon as the blaze broke out. No one was injured.

"The fire didn't spread to the main building where construction had just started," a Civil Defence spokesman said.

Several fire fighters were seen trying to douse the blaze that completely gutted the cabins.

Police cordoned off the service lane parallel to Sheikh Zayed Road, but the fire caused a massive traffic jam as motorists slowed down to watch the blaze.

Thick black smoke was seen blowing on to the motorway and across the Dubai Metro tracks.

"I could see a lot of fire brigades on the Sheikh Zayed Road service lane," said an Indian man  who took photographs of the blaze.

"It looks like oil or diesel burning because the smoke is extremely black. It's extremely hot today – maybe that's adding to the fire."

pkannan@thenational.ae