Fire breaks out in Dubai building near Burj Khalifa

A huge fire broke out early on Sunday morning out at a three 60-storey tower complex near the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, police said. The site is next to the Dubai Mall and near the 63-story The Address Downtown Dubai tower, which was heavily damaged in a fire on New Year's Eve on 2015.

Flames licked out of the podium level of the building as firefighters shot water inside. Every few minutes, small blasts could be heard inside the structure, presumably from exploding propane or welding tanks used by the workers. Ambulances stood nearby but there was no sign of any worker being treated. The fire appeared to be confined to the lower floors of the structure.

Dubai's government media office said the fire erupted at the Address Residences Fountain Views towers, and that firefighters have brought it under control. "Cooling operations are underway and ambulance units are on site," the media office posted on its Twitter account. It said there were no injuries reported.

The high-rise Fountain Views complex is being built by large Dubai-based developer Emaar Properties, which raised the mall and the hotel struck in the 2015 blaze.

The developer declined to immediately comment. Large numbers of firefighters were on the scene, and police cordoned off nearby roads.

"It was plumes and plumes of black smoke. It looks like it was quite low down," said witness Anthea Ayache.