Large fire hits residential towers in UAEMarch 29, 2016 - 08:39 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A large fire has hit at least two residential towers in the United Arab Emirates, in the third such incident in a little more than a year. The fire struck one tower in Ajman emirate, north of Dubai, before spreading to an adjacent block.Residents were evacuated, but several have reportedly been treated for breathing problems and minor injuries, BBC News reports. On New Year's Eve, a large fire engulfed the luxury 63-storey Address Hotel in central Dubai. The latest fire began late on Monday, March 28, in the Ajman One complex, a development of 12 towers with some 3,000 apartments. Videos posted by Ajman Police on Twitter showed flames engulfing most of one side of the tower, reaching several storeys high. An earlier video showed a large amount of burning debris falling to the ground. The UAE Minister of Interior, Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, visited the scene. The 2.7bn dirham ($735m) project had been due to open in 2009, but was completed years later. In the New Year's Eve hotel blaze, which burned for more than 20 hours, police said 16 people were injured. Planned fireworks at the nearby Burj Khalifa went ahead despite the fire breaking out shortly before. Police said cladding used on the outside of the building did not meet safety standards. The blaze was caused by a short circuit in a spotlight, investigators said. In February 2015, a large fire badly damaged the Torch skyscraper in Dubai, one of the tallest residential towers in the world. Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. |