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Fire breaks out at luxury Dubai hotel

Emergency services are at the scene.

Updated 18.58pm

A HUGE FIRE has ripped through a luxury Dubai hotel this evening near the world’s tallest tower, where people were gathering to watch New Year’s Eve celebrations, police said.

All residents have been evacuated safely, reports AFP.

The Dubai government media office tweeted that a “fire has been reported in the Address Downtown hotel. Authorities are currently on-site to address the incident swiftly and safely.”

Witnesses near the iconic Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, said huge flames were seen billowing from the hotel.

The flames can be seen at least 20 storeys high. Emergency services are at the scene.

Burning debris is falling from from the building, reports Associated Press. It is not immediately clear if anyone has been wounded in the blaze.

New Year’s Eve celebrations 

Dubai planned to wow spectators with three separate firework displays this evening.

The show was to begin at the Burj Khalifa, which organisers said was fitted with 400,000 LED lights. They said 1.6 tonnes of fireworks would be used in the display.

From there, the fireworks were to light up the sky around the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab and later down near the Dubai Marina. Fireworks also will be on display in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the country of seven emirates.

Official reports are that the New Year celebrations to go ahead in Dubai despite the fire, reports AFP.

Associated Press / YouTube

The flames can be seen billowing from the building some distance away.

fire 2

Additional reporting AFP and Associated Press. More as we get it…

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    Mute mary carey
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    Aug 4th 2015, 5:31 PM

    While I’m not glad she’s gone, I’m glad she did not suffer. She was a gentle person who suffered greatly with grief after her husband passed. I’m glad she didn’t suffer

    478
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    Mute paul farrell
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    Aug 4th 2015, 5:37 PM

    Old Skool saturday evening TV, RIP cilla

    234
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    Mute Eamonn O'Regan
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    Aug 4th 2015, 5:32 PM

    Rest in peace, luv- and thank you for the music.

    223
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    Mute Eamon Mac Gowan
    Favourite Eamon Mac Gowan
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    Aug 4th 2015, 8:13 PM

    @Eamonn O’Regan,
    Music? She sounded like a tomcat screeching.

    18
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    Mute Francid Dooley
    Favourite Francid Dooley
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    Aug 4th 2015, 11:33 PM

    Yes she was not a grate singer but that dident stop her. Don’t let your handy cap stop you.

    12
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    Mute Stephanie Phillips
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    Aug 6th 2015, 11:17 AM

    That’s such a cruel comment to make about another human being but judging by your inability to spell correctly, not surprised!!!

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    Mute Francid Dooley
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    Aug 4th 2015, 5:34 PM

    Poor old cilla, all the best in the next place.

    217
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    Mute tom
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    Aug 4th 2015, 6:27 PM

    If she entertained you all great but a casual review will tell you there were 2 Cilla’s.
    I’m sorry she’s died but I a bit perturbed by all this idolising. I think we need balance. Sorry to rain on anybody’s parade.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-444286/Surprise-Surprise–Cilla-nice-think.html

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    Mute Catherine
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    Aug 4th 2015, 6:54 PM

    I don’t think that’s a casual review. More like a bit of click bait for a well know rag.

    69
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    Mute Philip Horan
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    Aug 4th 2015, 6:55 PM

    I think you’ll find it’s the same when every light entertainment figure dies. Nothing unusual about Cilla.

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    Mute Maria Conroy Byrne
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    Aug 4th 2015, 7:28 PM

    Funny how the interviewer could damn her completely in such a short space of time. It seems to me she was determined to write a negative article. I’m sure most of us have our good and bad days. RIP Cilla.

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    Mute Paul Dunne
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    Aug 4th 2015, 7:59 PM

    ah Tom is a Irish thing everyone is a great bit of stuff when they pop their clogs no matters how much of a bollix they where in life.

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    Mute Trevor Weafer
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    Aug 4th 2015, 11:08 PM

    TV legend. Remember always watching her on blind date as a kid. True show biz performer. RIP Cilla.

    35
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    Mute OneTrueVoice
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    Aug 4th 2015, 8:21 PM

    Of the 151,232 people who died the same day as Cilla … I hope they all had a peaceful passing.

    Something close to 151,231 are not on our radar.

    Many were of old age and natural causes. But too many were young, oppressed, tortured and died a horrific unjust death. But we don’t really care, do we.

    29
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    Mute Joe Harbison
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    Aug 4th 2015, 11:52 PM

    Don’t want to be picky but thats not a stroke, its a head injury. Irish coroners wouldn’t accept it as a stroke as there was head trauma. Stroke occurs due to the spontaneous occlusion or rupture of a cerebral vessel.

    24
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    Mute Eamon Mac Gowan
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    Aug 4th 2015, 8:11 PM

    She made a tiny bit of talent go a very long way, also she was supposed to have been really obnoxious. She would not even speak to the builders who were doing up her house

    21
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    Mute OneTrueVoice
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    Aug 4th 2015, 8:25 PM

    Makes Tubridy and O’Connor even more wondrous.

    They make zero talent go to infinity. Cilla wasn’t even in their league.

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    Mute Ruth McCann
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    Aug 4th 2015, 11:42 PM

    have a bit of respect! she was such a kind lady, loved her fans, and had more talent than you, you troll!

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    Mute Eamon Mac Gowan
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    Aug 5th 2015, 10:23 AM

    @Ruth McCann,
    Oh, so you knew her personally?

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    Mute Linny
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    Aug 4th 2015, 6:57 PM

    In other words she fell over in a happy stupor. How lucky is Cilla?

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    Mute tom
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    Aug 4th 2015, 6:29 PM

    There are plenty of similar articles on the net but I guess most fans won’t want to read them, which is fair enough.

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    Mute tom
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    Aug 4th 2015, 7:02 PM

    There are loads of these articles. Just google them.

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    Mute Mindfulirish
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    Aug 5th 2015, 3:49 AM

    If you can’t say anything good about the dead say nothing.

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