Fire erupts in Dubai highrise

DUBAI: A fire erupted in a residential highrise in Dubai on Sunday, authorities said, days after a blaze tore through a tower across the street. Dubai Civil Defence said on Sunday it had put out the "minor fire" that broke out on a balcony in the 78-storey Tiger Tower, which opened to residents in 2010. No injuries were reported.

The building is across the street from The Torch, an 87-storey residential tower which was engulfed by a fire in early hours of Friday, with no reports of injuries. The Torch was also the scene of a 2015 fire that triggered a mass evacuation of surrounding buildings.

In January, Dubai announced tougher rules to minimise fire risks after a series of tower blazes in the emirate mostly due to flammable material used in cladding, a covering or coating used on the side of the buildings. —AFP