Twelve workers rescued from Dubai tower fire

DUBAI // About a dozen construction workers were reported to have been rescued by firefighters today when a blaze began at the top of an unfinished 33-floor tower in Business Bay.

Emergency services were called out to the building next to Burj Views at about 1.30pm as thick smoke billowed from the top of the tower.

The tower was initially thought to have been unoccupied, but witnesses tweeted that about a dozen workers could be seen in the building.

They were eventually rescued by firefighters, the witnesses said.

A spokesman for Civil Defence said firefighters took about two hours to bring the blaze under control.

He added that there had been no reported injuries.

Civil Defence, police and ambulances were quickly at the scene and firefighters fought their way through the building to the source of the fire on one of the top floors.

A spokesman for Dubai Police said that a forensic investigation team was examining the scene but it was too early to know for sure what had started the blaze.

“At this stage we don’t know the cause and it could take up to two weeks until we know more,” said the spokesman.

NHanif@thenational.ae