Fire breaks out at residential building in Dubai Marina

A fire broke out early Friday morning from the upper floor of a high-rise residential tower in Dubai Marina.

Syrian student Z., who lives in Marina Sail — the building that caught fire — described being awoken around 3:30am by the sound of alarms and a prerecorded evacuation message. "It was a scary experience," Z. said. “But we’re safe and managed to get out before things got serious.”

Many residents, still in their pajamas, evacuated their apartments in a hurry.

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Lebanese expat P.A. was seen carrying his pet turtle while fleeing the building. "I don’t know where exactly the fire is, but there’s too much smoke inside the building when I exited," P.A. said.

M.K., a resident of the first floor, felt fortunate to already be awake, as he was preparing for work when the fire alarm sounded.

Emergency services are on-site and working to contain the fire.

For others, the incident stirred up painful memories. Anya, 28, who had recently moved into Marina Sail, said the experience was "retraumatising". Just weeks earlier, she had survived another fire — theblaze at Marina Pinnacle, where she previously lived.

"I'm shaking. I just moved to this building and hoped that I wouldn't have to go through this again," she said.

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