Dubai: Fire on ship at Jebel Ali Port brought under control in 40 minutes

A fire that broke out on board a ship at Dubai's Jebel Ali port late on Wednesday was brought under control within 40 minutes, the Dubai media office said.

Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, said that according to initial information, the fire broke out on board a small-sized container ship. There were no deaths or injuries reported, he added.

The ship, which had a capacity of 130 containers, was preparing to dock at a berth "away from the port's main shipping line".

Soon after the fire broke out, residents of a number of communities in south Dubai took to social media and shared videos of the fire late on Wednesday.

The Dubai Media Office said the authorities concerned efficiently controlled the fire.

Maj. Gen. Rashid Thani Al Matrooshi, director-general of Dubai Civil Defense, said the Jebel Ali Port fire was brought fully under control and the cooling process was under way.

No disruption

Jebel Ali port authorities said they were taking all necessary measures to ensure that the normal movement of ships at the port continues without any disruption.

For over 40 years, the port has been the premier trading port for the Gulf economies to the international trade routes with exceptional efficiency. Jebel Ali Free Zone accounts for almost 24 per cent of total foreign direct investment (FDI) flow into the country and contributes 23.8 per cent of Dubai’s GDP with over 8,000 companies.

Residents praise civil defence

The UAE citizens and residents lavished praise on the civil defence teams for their efforts to bring the fire under control in a short span of time.

"Thank you our heroes of Dubai Civil Defense. A fire in a container on a ship.. but under control now with no deaths or injuries so far," said Nasser Al-Shaikh.

An Emirati, Hassan Sajwani, also praised the civil defence team for its quick response.

"May God bless you, young people of my country, and protect you, preserve the home and its people, and honor its leadership," said Umm-e-Khalid.

waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com