Dubai Police have confirmed that the fire at the 63 storey Address Downtown Hotel tower block on New Year’s Eve 2015 was caused by electrical fault. According to Police investigators, an electric short circuit in a spotlight which was used to illuminate the hotel was the origin of the massive fire that broke out at the hotel.
According to Ahmad Mohammad Ahmad, Head of the Forensics and Mechanical Engineering Department at the General Department of Forensic Science and Criminology of Dubai Police, the blaze started in the cables of the spotlight on the ledge between the 14th and 15th floors of the 63-storey hotel.
The information was released at a press conference at the Dubai Police Headquarters. No deaths were attributed to the fire, said Police, although some 15 persons were injured and one man suffered a heart attack during the evacuation process.
About the Author
Neil Wallington is a former British Chief Fire Officer, a Past International President of the Institution of Fire Engineers, and a holder of the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct. He is the author of 17 books on the work of the fire service, and acts as a consultant with extensive experience in the Gulf on a range of projects.
