Dubai fire caused by electrical fault – police
Blaze at The Address Downtown hotel resulted from short circuit
The major fire at The Address Downtown hotel in Dubai was caused by an electrical fault, police said on Wednesday.
A short circuit was behind the New Year’s Eve blaze, which caused several injuries but no deaths, according to the results of an official report, police said at a press conference and via Twitter.
No flammable liquids played a role in the blaze, police were quoted by local media as saying. Officials showed photographs of exposed wiring in the 63-storey tower, according to press reports.
The fire has also raised questions over the quality of cladding materials used in some UAE buildings.
A UAE-wide series of building inspections has been ordered following the incident, in an attempt to ensure fire safety across the country.
Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, director of Dubai Civil Defence, said earlier this week that the UAE Fire and Safety Code would be updated to curb the use of cladding on buildings higher than nine storeys under certain conditions.
