It was a normal night—until the sky lit up in flames. Thick smoke, frightened residents, and fire trucks swarming the street—this is what unfolded when a 67 storey Dubai Marina Skyscraper caught fire, forcing nearly 4,000 people to evacuate in panic.
A massive fire broke out on Friday night in a 67-storey residential tower in Dubai Marina. According to the Dubai Media Office, the blaze was brought under control by early Saturday, but not before 3,820 residents were evacuated from 764 flats.
Alarming Failures in Fire Safety
Many residents reported that fire alarms never rang. Instead, people became aware of the fire when they smelled smoke, received phone calls, or saw emergency vehicles outside.
“I was on the 24th floor with my wife when we smelled something burning around 9:45 pm,” one resident told Khaleej Times. “We checked our apartment but found nothing. From the balcony, we saw firefighters. A friend called and said he couldn’t enter because of the fire.”
Some people were taken to hospitals due to smoke inhalation, while others are still staying in hotels awaiting updates on their apartments.
Transport Disrupted, Safety Comes First
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) suspended tram services between Dubai Marina Station (No. 5) and Palm Jumeirah Station (No. 9). Shuttle buses were arranged during the emergency.
“The safety of our passengers is our top priority,” the RTA said. Services will resume after full safety inspections.
History of Fires in the Area
This isn’t the first incident. The same tower, Marina Pinnacle, faced a kitchen fire in 2015. It’s also near The Torch, another tower that caught fire twice—once in 2015 and again in 2017.
Investigations Underway
Authorities are now working with the building’s developer to arrange temporary accommodation for displaced residents. Investigations into the cause of the 67 storey Dubai Marina Skyscraper fire are ongoing, but no official statement has been released yet.
One witness said, “At around 1:30 am, the fire started to slow down. Plenty of debris had fallen, but firefighters managed to contain it.”
Thankfully, no other nearby buildings were affected.
Social Media Footage Goes Viral
Videos from the incident quickly went viral, showing residents running from the tower, some with pets, others with children, all under clouds of smoke.
“It was scary. We were sleeping when it happened,” said one resident. “We somehow managed to get out in time.”
“We didn’t know it was our building until neighbors started banging on our doors,” added another.
The incident where a 67 storey Dubai Marina Skyscraper catches fire | nearly 4000 evacuated has sparked serious concern over high-rise safety in Dubai. Though the emergency response saved lives, many are demanding answers on why alarms failed, and how such a huge blaze could erupt without warning.
As cooling operations continue and the investigation unfolds, one thing is clear: thousands are displaced, and questions remain unanswered.
