A container ship docked at a major Dubai port caught fire late Wednesday, officials said, and witnesses reported a loud explosion that rocked the area.
The media office for the government of Dubai said in a tweet on Wednesday that a fire "has been reported to have broken out in a container within a ship anchored" at the Jebel Ali Port. There were no reported deaths or casualties due to a swift evacuation executed by port authorities after spotting smoke and a leakage, according to a statement by Jebel Ali Port.
Dubai Media Office (DMO) Director General Mona Al Marri described it as a "normal accident."
"A Dubai Civil Defense team is working to put out the blaze," the tweet read. The statement from the Jebel Ali Port said the fire was extinguished in less than 40 minutes by Dubai Public Defense, Dubai Police HQ, and additional authorities. Normal operations were said to have continued, even during the incident, according to a tweet by DBO.
In a previous update, the Dubai Media Office said that the fire was under control and that there were no deaths or injuries reported. Video shared by the Dubai government shows firefighters spraying water at a container ship as a fire burns, with debris littering the area nearby.
-Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) July 7, 2021
Videos posted to Twitter show a large fireball rising above the industrial port. Others said they felt shaking from an apparent explosion.
Al Arabiya reported that at least four residents living in the Dubai Marina area reported hearing the blast. They said the windows and doors at their homes were shaken due to the apparent explosion.
-Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) July 7, 2021
An investigation of the fire is underway, according to the statement made by Jebel Ali Port authorities.
The Jebel Ali Port is one of the biggest in the world, according to the Associated Press.
The port, which serves cargo from the Indian subcontinent, Africa and Asia and is operated by DP World, is also the largest in the Middle East, according to the news outlet.
This story is developing. Please check back for updates.
