'It was terrifying': Residents evacuate, stay with friends after Marina building fire

A massive fire broke out late Friday night in a 67-storey residential and commercial tower in Dubai Marina, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate and find shelter. While some waited outside as firefighters battled the blaze, others checked into nearby hotels or took refuge at friends’ homes.

Many residents said fire alarms didn’t go off and they had no idea there was a fire in the building until they smelled smoke or got calls from friends. Thick smoke made stairwells unusable for some, forcing them to rely on elevators to escape. Several residents spent the entire night outdoors before securing temporary shelter. 

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“I was on the 24th floor with my wife when we started smelling something like burning wires around 9:45 pm,” said one resident. “We checked everything inside the apartment, including the kitchen, but found nothing.

"When we stepped onto the balcony, we saw fire crews arriving and people gathering outside. That’s when we got a call from a friend who was visiting us that he wasn’t allowed in because of a fire. Still, there was no alarm, no official notice. Only when we called building security did they tell us to evacuate," he added.

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He recalled that the stairwell was full of smoke, so they had to take the elevator, "which thankfully worked".

"My wife felt dizzy from the smoke. We waited outside for nearly 45 minutes before booking a hotel. Later, we saw flames on the upper floors. It was terrifying," he noted.

Neighbouring buildings evacuated

Ahmed, a resident of the adjacent tower, said he had to leave his building, too.

 “I live on the 16th floor of MAG 218,” he told Khaleej Times. “We were asked to evacuate early in the morning. Smoke entered my corridor early morning, so I packed a small bag and rushed out using the staircase. Now I am staying at a friend’s place nearby. It’s not just the affected tower; everyone in the area was impacted.”

'We could've died'

 Some residents stated that they were unaware of the fire, and the building's emergency systems failed to respond.

"The fire alarm system never went off,” said a resident who lives on the 28th floor. “We didn’t know there was a fire until a friend messaged me an hour later. My wife and I almost didn’t make it out.

"The emergency staircase was full of smoke. We had to use the elevator. When we reached the lobby, it was also filled with smoke. If it wasn’t for people screaming and pointing us in the right direction, we could’ve died," he added.

Another resident noted, “Many buildings in the UAE have functioning alarm and sprinkler systems (this was different)."

Ashiq, who also lives in Marina Pinnacle, shared: “By 11.30pm, the smoke smell was unbearable. I called the reception, and they told us to evacuate immediately. We left with just our phones."

“Now, we have been asked to find accommodation for two days, and the management said they’ll reimburse us. But it’s stressful. We don’t know when we will be allowed back in.”

‘Kudos to the emergency teams’

Despite the chaos, residents praised the Dubai Civil Defence and other emergency responders.

“Kudos to the Dubai Civil Defence, ambulance teams, and the police,” said Amber, a resident of the neighbourhood. “They were on the ground immediately, helping people, guiding us to safety, and making sure no one was left behind. One officer even got into the elevator with us and stayed calm throughout. They have really done a great job.”

Many residents are still trying to contact building security for updates on their homes. Some remain in hotels, while a few were hospitalised after inhaling smoke. 

“We still don’t know if our apartment is safe. “I have been trying to reach building security since morning,” said Ashley, a tenant of the building. “For now, we are staying at a hotel, just thankful we made it out. Some of our neighbours were taken to the hospital because of the smoke.”

SM Ayaz Zakir

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ayaz@khaleejtimes.com

SM Ayaz Zakir is a Senior Correspondent with a flair for extraordinary stories. His playground? Every corner of the UAE. He often ventures into remote corners of the country to capture compelling news and human interest stories.