Address Downtown#2015 New Year's Eve fire

The tower is the twenty-second tallest building in Dubai. It is a tall structure within the massive development named Downtown Dubai, which includes the centerpiece super-tall building, the Burj Khalifa. The tower was topped out in April 2008, and was then the sixth tallest building in Dubai.{{cite web|url=http://skyscrapercenter.com/dubai/the-address/468/|title= Address Downtown|access-date=17 September 2012|publisher=CTBUH}} The AED845 million tower was completed in September 2008.{{cite web |url=http://www.arabtecuae.com/ProjectDetails.aspx?id=2 |title=Address Downtown |publisher=Arabtec Construction, L.L.C. |date=3 January 2011 |access-date=3 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502180813/http://arabtecuae.com/ProjectDetails.aspx?id=2 |archive-date=2 May 2013 |url-status=dead }}

The five-star hotel and residential compound features 196 rooms and 626 serviced apartments.{{cite web|url=http://www.theaddress.com/en/hotel/downtown-dubai|title=Address Downtown - Address Hotels + Resorts}} Thanks to its proximity to Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Fountain these hotels are well mentioned among the most beautiful hotel views in Dubai.{{cite web|url=https://besthotelview.com/hotels/Dubai-best-view-from-hotel|title=Best hotel views in Dubai}}

Around 21:00 GST on 31 December 2015, a fire broke out on the 20th floor of the building.{{cite news|url=http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/leisure/fire-breaks-out-at-the-address-hotel-downtown-dubai-1.1646357|title=Fire breaks out at Address Downtown.|newspaper=Gulf News|date=31 December 2015|access-date=31 December 2015|archive-date=25 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225224058/https://gulfnews.com/news/uae/leisure/fire-breaks-out-at-the-address-hotel-downtown-dubai-1.1646357|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/02/world/middleeast/address-downtown-hotel-dubai-fire.html?_r=0|title=Dubai Hotel Smolders as Firefighters Tackle Last Gasps of Blaze|newspaper=The New York Times|date=1 January 2016|access-date = 2 January 2016|language = en-US}} The floor where the fire is thought to have begun hosts residential suites.{{cite web|title = Address Downtown Fire {{!}} See Inside Group|url = https://www.seeinsidegroup.com/our-client-the-address-downtown-dubai-devastated-by-fire/|website = See Inside Group|access-date = 1 January 2016|language = en-US}} The nearby Dubai Mall was also evacuated as a precaution.

Dubai's Media Office said the fire began on a 20th-floor terrace. Explosions of unknown origin{{cite news | url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fire-new-year-fireworks-display-dubai-building/ | title=Fire breaks out near Dubai's New Year's fireworks display |publisher= CBS News | date=31 December 2015 | access-date=31 December 2015 }} were heard as the fire spread to other parts of the building. Then, debris fell from the building and dark plumes of smoke were seen emanating from the skyscraper. Commenting on the speed with which the fire spread, Jonathan Gilliam, a CNN law-enforcement analyst, said, "This is looking absolutely horrific. This is spreading very rapidly."{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/31/middleeast/dubai-address-hotel-fire/ |title=Fire engulfs downtown Dubai's high-rise Address hotel |first1=Jason |last1=Hanna |first2=Ashley |last2=Fantz |first3=Catherine E. |last3=Shoichet |publisher= CNN | date=31 December 2015 | access-date=31 December 2015 }}

A representative of Dubai Civil Defence said four separate teams of firefighters had fought the blaze.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/dubai/12076792/Dubai-skyscraper-fire-new-years-eve-2015-live.html|title=Live: Huge skyscraper fire in Dubai|access-date=31 December 2015|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=31 December 2015}} Once the fire was contained, the plan was to ensure that the fire did not spread by implementing cooling procedures, and to search for any stranded individuals, according to Dubai Police Chief, Major-General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina.{{ cite news | url=http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/emergencies/14-suffer-minor-injuries-as-fire-breaks-out-in-address-hotel-downtown-dubai-1.1646687|title=14 suffer minor injuries as fire breaks out in Address Hotel Downtown Dubai |first1=Noor |last1=Nazzal |first2=Noorhan |last2=Baraka |access-date=31 December 2015|newspaper=Gulf News|date=31 December 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101073620/http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/emergencies/14-suffer-minor-injuries-as-fire-breaks-out-in-address-hotel-downtown-dubai-1.1646687 |archive-date= Jan 1, 2016 }}

According to the Dubai Media Office, 14 people were slightly injured and one was moderately injured.{{cite news | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Fire-breaks-out-at-a-Dubai-Hotel-near-Burj-Khalifa-16-injured/articleshow/50399581.cms|title=Fire breaks out at a Dubai Hotel near Burj Khalifa, 16 injured|access-date=31 December 2015|newspaper=The Times of India|date=31 December 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160104192109/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Fire-breaks-out-at-a-Dubai-Hotel-near-Burj-Khalifa-16-injured/articleshow/50399581.cms |archive-date= Jan 4, 2016 }} One person had a heart attack during the evacuation.{{cite tweet |user=DXBMediaOffice |number=682645719904194560 |date=31 December 2015 |title=14 minor injuries,1 moderate&1 heart attack case reported due 2 over-crowding&smoke at the fire site, all received prompts medical assistance |author1=Dubai Media Office |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710133848/https://twitter.com/DXBMediaOffice/status/682645719904194560 |archive-date= Jul 10, 2023 }}

Photographer Dennis Mallari was setting up to photograph the Dubai fireworks when he became trapped on a balcony on the 48th floor of the hotel, 10 meters away from the blaze.{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/01/01/middleeast/dubai-address-hotel-fire-photographer-rescue/index.html |title=Stuck on the 48th floor: Photographer's close shave in Dubai hotel blaze |last1=Jensen |first1=Jon |last2=Mullen |first2=Jethro |date=1 January 2016 |website=CNN |access-date=7 May 2020}} He sent text messages alerting the authorities to his emergency, sought help by Facebook posts, and filmed the encroaching fire, eventually tying a rope around himself to a nearby window-cleaning platform and hanging off a balcony before being rescued.{{cite news | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/One-hour-then-thats-it-Dubai-fire-survivor-hangs-from-balcony/articleshow/50402726.cms | title='One hour, then that's it': Dubai fire survivor hangs from balcony | newspaper=The Times of India | date=1 January 2016 | access-date=1 January 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101064411/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/One-hour-then-thats-it-Dubai-fire-survivor-hangs-from-balcony/articleshow/50402726.cms |archive-date= 1 January 2016 }}

File:The Address hotel on fire.jpg

Those who sustained smoke inhalation and minor injuries were treated by 20 doctors and 50 nurses from the Dubai Health Authority at the site, according to Al Mazeina. Director-General of Dubai Civil Defence, Major General Rashid Thani Rashid Al Matroushi, said that all of the hotel residents were evacuated, none of the injured were children, and that fire "broke out only in the external interface and the majority of the fire did not make it to the inside."{{cite news|url=http://www.emirates247.com/news/hotel-fire-put-out-in-record-time-breathtaking-dubai-show-goes-on-as-planned-2016-01-01-1.615639 |first1=Ajanta |last1=Paul |title=Hotel fire put out in record time; Breathtaking Dubai show goes on as planned|newspaper=Emirates 24/7|date=1 January 2016|access-date=1 January 2016}}{{efn|The Times of India reported that during 2015: "In November, a massive blaze engulfed three residential blocs in central Dubai and led to services on a metro line being suspended, although no one was hurt. In February, a huge fire gutted one of the emirate's tallest buildings, destroying luxury flats in the Torch tower and triggering an evacuation of nearby blocs in the Dubai Marina neighbourhood -- a district popular among expatriates."}} Several people at the site complained that neither the fire alarm nor the sprinkler system activated during the fire.{{Cite web|title = Dramatic pictures show smoke still billowing from Dubai hotel hours after blaze |url = https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/dubai-hotel-fire-continues-new-7101295 |website = The Mirror |date = January 2016 |access-date = 1 January 2016}}

It was reported that the hotel was probably packed with guests due to its clear view of the New Year's fireworks display at the Burj Khalifa, which is actually located right in front of the hotel. The show still went on as planned, but with some flaws in the LED programming; by midnight, authorities had deemed the fire to be 90 percent contained.{{cite news | url=http://www.foxnews.com/world/fire-tears-through-dubai-luxury-hotel-within-sight-of-fireworks-show | title=Fire tears through Dubai luxury hotel within sight of fireworks show|access-date=31 December 2015|publisher=Fox News|date=31 December 2015}} The following day, smoke continued to rise from the building.{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/01/middleeast/dubai-address-hotel-fire/index.html?eref=edition|title=Smoke still wafting from Dubai's luxury Address hotel after New Year's blaze|date=1 January 2016|publisher=CNN|author=Jethro Mullen, Catherine E. Shoichet and Jason Hanna|access-date=1 January 2016}} Criticism was leveled regarding the high amount of cladding—layers of material that are fixed to the outside of buildings for insulation—implemented into the building's design; this cladding may have contributed to the fire's spread.{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/dubai-blaze-raises-questions-over-gulf-skyscraper-design-160747983--finance.html|title=Dubai blaze raises questions over Gulf skyscraper design|publisher=Yahoo! News|date=2 January 2016|access-date=3 January 2016}}

On 20 January 2016, Dubai Police confirmed that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit.{{cite web|author1=Aarti Nagraj|title=Electrical short circuit caused Address hotel fire - Dubai police|url=http://www.gulfbusiness.com/articles/country/united-arab-emirates/electrical-short-circuit-caused-address-hotel-fire-dubai-police/|website=Gulf Business|publisher=Motivate Publishing|access-date=31 January 2016|date=20 January 2016}} The forensic investigation identified that the short circuit was caused by electrical wires of the spotlight used to illuminate the building between the 14th and the 15th floor.{{cite web|title=Fire at Address hotel on New Year's eve caused by electrical fault: Dubai Police|url=http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/emergencies/fire-at-address-hotel-on-new-year-s-eve-caused-by-electrical-fault-dubai-police-1.1656786|website=Gulfnews|publisher=Al Nasir Publishing LLC|access-date=31 January 2016|date=20 January 2016}} After an onsite investigation, experts concluded that the fire broke out in the duct between flat numbers 1401 and 1504.{{cite web|title=Address Hotel fire sparked by short circuit|url=http://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/general/short-circuit-sparked-the-address-blaze|website=Khaleej Times|access-date=31 January 2016|date=21 January 2016}} Further investigation in flat number 1504 indicated that the fire spread to that unit from the side of the window, which is connected to the ledge; falling debris caused the fire in flat number 1401.{{cite web|author1=Dana Moukhallati|title=Short circuit on spotlight blamed for Address Downtown hotel fire|url=http://www.thenational.ae/uae/short-circuit-on-spotlight-blamed-for-the-address-downtown-dubai-hotel-fire|website=The National|access-date=31 January 2016|date=20 January 2016}} Police released photographs showing the exposed unconnected wire in the duct between the two apartments. The fire was first reported by a guest who was residing on the 18th floor of the building; he called the reception to inform that he could smell something burning and visited the reception minutes later after he began to notice the smoke.{{cite web|author1=Ali Al Shouk|title=Electrical fault sparked Dubai Address Blaze|url=http://7days.ae/breaking-electrical-fault-sparked-dubai-address-hotel-blaze/79667|website=7Days|publisher=Catchpole Communications FZ-LLC, Al Sidra Media LLC.|access-date=31 January 2016|date=20 January 2016 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122120758/http://7days.ae/breaking-electrical-fault-sparked-dubai-address-hotel-blaze |archive-date= Jan 22, 2016 }}

File:Dubai, United Arab Emirates. By Eric Chamchoum 015.jpg

Emaar provided housing for those whose apartments were affected by the fire, but some residents complained that the housing was inferior to that they had lost. Hotel guests are still waiting{{When|date=June 2024}} to be compensated for the lost items and trauma suffered as a result of the fire. They cannot obtain a precise update from the hotel group nearly two years after the fire.{{cite web|url=http://www.thenational.ae/business/personal-finance/the-address-downtown-dubai-residents-deal-with-the-aftermath-of-losing-their-home |website=The National |title=The Address Downtown: Dubai residents deal with the aftermath of losing their home|author=Michael Fahy|date=29 January 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161108215935/http://www.thenational.ae/business/personal-finance/the-address-downtown-dubai-residents-deal-with-the-aftermath-of-losing-their-home#page1 |archive-date= Nov 8, 2016 }}

In late 2016, renovation on the tower had started, and while the re-construction was going on, another building under construction within Downtown Dubai, caught fire. That fire was extinguished but smoke plumed across Downtown Dubai. Re-construction, installation of safety features and renovation of the Address Downtown Hotel had been completed in 2018. Before the incident, the building was used to launch fireworks synchronized with the fireworks from the Burj Khalifa. As of 2018, these had been discontinued.

• List of buildings in Dubai
• List of tallest buildings in Dubai
• List of tallest buildings in the United Arab Emirates

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{{wikinews|Fire breaks out at Dubai, United Arab Emirates hotel on New Year's Eve}}

• [http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=105597 SkyscraperPage.com forum]
• [http://www.theaddress.com/en/hotels/the-address-downtown-dubai/ Official Website]
• [https://www.servicedapartments.ae/area-guide/the-address-sky-view/ Gateway to Downtown Dubai]

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