Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Families flee as fire breaks out in a 12-floor apartment building in Dubai

Families flee as fire breaks out in a 12-floor apartment building in Dubai

Fire broke out in Al-Meer Tower, a 12-story residential building in Dubai’s Barsha Heights, on Wednesday night, causing dozens of terrified families to flee the burning block.
Fire crews reportedly put out the blaze within about 20 minutes but it nevertheless caused substantial damage to parts of the building. There were no reports of any casualties.

Residents of Al-Meer Tower told Arab News that the fire began shortly before 9:00 p.m. Dubai time, causing fear and panic among the families living there as the alarm spread.

Dubai Civil Defense confirmed that it received an alert about the fire at 8:58 p.m. Fire crews and rescue teams from Barsha Brigade reached the site within four minutes, it added. Additional crews and vehicles from Al-Marina Brigade were summoned to provide backup and support. Dubai police cordoned off the scene and rerouted traffic.

Initial on-site investigations suggest that the blaze, officially categorized as a “medium fire,” began on the seventh floor.

The field officer in charge of the operation confirmed that the fire was brought under control within 21 minutes and that the cooling process began at 10:42 p.m.

“No deaths or injuries were recorded,” the officer said, adding that the site has been handed over to the relevant authorities for further investigations into the cause of the fire.

A resident of the building called Jenelle, originally from the Philippines, told Arab News that she and four relatives live in a sixth-floor apartment.

“When the alarm started, we gathered our belongings and went down instantly,” she said. Many of her neighbors were rushing down the stairs and some were panicking and crying, she added.

Elena, from Romania, who lives on the seventh floor, said she jumped up from her bed, where she was eating her dinner, when she was alerted to the fire by her roommate.

“When I went out to the balcony, I told her the fire was in our building as she was seeing a reflection on the opposite building’s glass front,” she said. As they left their apartment, their next door neighbor was shouting “fire,” she added.

A Russian resident said she could see debris falling to the street after she escaped the building and was crossing the road to safety.

A Syrian resident, Tarek, said he was asleep when the fire started. “When I escaped from my flat, rescuers were escorting us to safe zones,” he added.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×