In a deeply disheartening and unexpected incident, a massive fire broke out in a 67-storey residential tower in Dubai Marina late Friday night, forcing the evacuation of nearly 4,000 residents.
The fire, which started around 9:45 pm, raged for hours before it was eventually brought under control early Saturday morning.
No fatalities were recorded, but the fire has left many residents shaken and temporarily displaced.
The blaze quickly spread through several floors, sending thick smoke into apartments and nearby buildings.
Although emergency services responded promptly, many residents say they were caught off guard, as fire alarms failed to go off.
Instead, they only discovered the fire through smoke or alerts from others outside.
“I was on the 24th floor with my wife when we smelled something burning around 9:45 pm,” a resident told Khaleej Times.
“We checked our apartment but found nothing. From the balcony, we saw firefighters and people outside. A friend called and said he couldn’t enter because of the fire. Security only told us to leave when we called them.”
A growing number of tenants are now questioning the building’s fire safety measures.
Many claim that fire alarms never rang and that stairwells were filled with thick smoke, making escape dangerous.
One resident on the 28th floor said, “The fire alarm never rang.
We only found out an hour later from a friend’s message. The stairs were full of smoke, so we took the elevator. The lobby was smoky too. Without people helping us, we might not have made it.”
Another tenant, Ashiq, said, “By 11:30 pm, the smoke was too bad. The front desk told us to leave right away. We only took our phones. Now we need to find a place to stay for two days, and they say they’ll pay us back, but it’s stressful.”
The effects of the fire were not limited to the tower alone.
Residents in neighbouring buildings were also forced to evacuate due to the thick smoke that filled nearby hallways.
Ahmed, who lives in the MAG 218 tower next to the affected building, explained:
“We had to leave early in the morning because smoke got into my hallway. I grabbed a bag and used the stairs. I’m staying with a friend now. Everyone nearby was affected.”
Despite the chaos, emergency teams were widely praised for their swift response.
Amber, a resident in a neighbouring building, said, “They came right away, helped everyone, and made sure we were safe. One officer stayed calm and helped us in the elevator. They did a great job.”
According to the Dubai Media Office, over 3,800 residents were safely evacuated from the tower’s 764 apartments.
Some were treated for smoke inhalation, while others were relocated to hotels as they await updates on their homes.
“We don’t know if our apartment is okay,” said Ashley. “I’ve been calling security all morning. We’re in a hotel now, just glad we’re safe. Some neighbours had to go to the hospital.”
Meanwhile, as a safety measure, tram services between Dubai Marina Station and Palm Jumeirah Station were temporarily suspended.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) introduced shuttle buses to bridge the gap.
In a statement, the RTA confirmed, “The safety of our passengers and operations is our top priority. We are working closely with emergency services and relevant authorities to monitor the situation and resume full services as soon as it is deemed safe.”
Authorities have yet to announce the official cause of the fire.
However, this incident has now become one of the largest emergency responses in Dubai Marina’s recent history.
As investigations begin, residents are hoping for stronger fire prevention systems and better emergency alerts in high-rise buildings.
