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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Officials in Dubai say there have been some injuries in the fire that engulfed a luxury building near the world's tallest skyscraper.
The Dubai Media Office said 14 people were lightly injured and that one suffered a heart attack due to the smoke and overcrowding during evacuation. The statement said another person was moderately injured. No children were among those injured.
The fire at a 63-story hotel and apartment building raged as thousands of people gathered in the streets around the building for one of the world's largest New Year's fireworks displays. The blaze began about two hours before the midnight fireworks show.
But the event went on as scheduled, with the fireworks obscured by smoke from the fire.
About 15 minutes before midnight, large explosions could be heard from inside the burning building. It was not clear what caused the blasts. The building was cloaked in thick black smoke.
%@AP Links
188-c-12-(Jon Gambrell (gam-BREHL'), AP correspondent)-"an actual emergency"-AP correspondent Jon Gambrell reports the crowd gathered to watch a fireworks display at a massive building nearby did not know what was happening. (31 Dec 2015)
<<CUT *188 (12/31/15)££ 00:12 "an actual emergency"
191-a-14-(Stephen Browne, who is visiting Dubai, in AP interview)-"really scary stuff"-Dubai visitor Stephen Browne says it was a massive blaze. (note pause after the words 'stories of it') (31 Dec 2015)
<<CUT *191 (12/31/15)££ 00:14 "really scary stuff"
APPHOTO XSA103: Smoke and flames pouring from a residential building, which also contains the Address Downtown Hotel, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Thursday evening, Dec. 31, 2015. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) (31 Dec 2015)
<<APPHOTO XSA103 (12/31/15)££
APPHOTO LON122: This image taken from AP video shows smoke and flames pouring from a residential building, which also contains the Address Downtown Hotel, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Thursday evening, Dec. 31, 2015. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell) (31 Dec 2015)
<<APPHOTO LON122 (12/31/15)££
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