Explosion on at major global port in Dubai causes huge fire
Dubai, Jul 8: An explosion inside a container on a ship docked at the Dubai port caused a massive fire on the vessel and shook the gleaming commercial hub of the UAE, authorities said on Thursday.
The blast occurred in the container aboard the vessel, preparing to dock away from the Jebel Ali Port's main shipping line at around midnight on Wednesday.
There were no reported deaths or injuries and the fire is under control, authorities said.
There were 14 sailors aboard the ship, who were evacuated safely.
"A fire has been reported to have broken out in a container within a ship anchored in Jebel Ali Port. A Dubai Civil Defence team is working to put out the blaze," Dubai Media Office said in a tweet on their official account.
Director-General of Dubai Civil Defence Major General Rashid Thani Al Matrooshi said the Jebel Ali Port fire has been brought fully under control and the cooling process is underway.
Teams took 40 minutes to control the blaze.
The blaze sent up giant orange flames on the vessel at the Jebel Ali Port, the ninth-largest port in the world and the biggest in the region.
The blast was heard across parts of Dubai, with residents hearing a loud explosion, according to witnesses. Panicked residents filmed from their high-rises as a fiery ball illuminated the night sky.
Residents from Marina, JVC, and Emirates Hills said that they heard a loud explosion that shook their doors and windows.
The Dubai Media Office posted a video of firefighters putting out the blaze at the port.
Lt General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-In-Chief at Dubai Police went to the fire site and said the fire occurred on a cargo ship at dockside 14, Gulf News reported.
The ship was carrying 130 containers. Three containers contained flammable materials. There were no explosives inside it or radioactive materials Lt Gen Al Marri said.
An investigation is ongoing to determine the reason behind the fire.
Jebel Ali Port Authorities said they took all necessary measures to ensure the normal movement of ships in the port.
Operated by the Dubai-based DP World, the port can berth some of the world's largest ships.
The port is not only a critical global cargo hub but a lifeline for Dubai and surrounding emirates.
DP World describes Jebel Ali Port as a gateway hub and a vital link in the global trade network that connects eastern and western markets. The company did not immediately issue any public statement on the blast.
Port Jebel Ali was constructed in the late 1970s to supplement the facilities at Port Rashid.
Dubai is the region's trade, business and tourism hub. The city is also one of the safest cities in the world.
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Bengal fire: Five more burnt body parts found, death exhibits rise to 21; DNA tests underway
Kolkata (PTI): The police on Thursday recovered five more body parts, including partially burnt and skeletal remains, from the site of a massive fire near Kolkata, taking the total number of body exhibits to 21, a senior officer said.
According to him, out of the 21 body parts, 16 have already been sent for DNA testing.
The police have received missing complaints for 27 people, of whom 21 are from Purba Medinipur district.
"We recovered five body parts from the charred remains of the gutted buildings today. So far, 21 body parts, including partially burnt and skeletal remains, have been recovered from the site. The total number of missing persons reports is 27," Baruipur Police District Superintendent Shubhendra Kumar said when contacted.
Earlier, based on inputs from the local Narendrapur police stations, it was reported that 13 more bodies were found at the site, taking the death toll to 21, while 28 others are missing.
"We cannot say now the exact death toll, as what we have recovered are body parts, which may belong to a single or different individuals. This can be confirmed only after the DNA test reports," a police officer said.
The devastating blaze, which broke out on the night of January 26, reduced two godowns and a momo manufacturing unit at Anandapur in South 24 Parganas district, on the outskirts of Kolkata, to ashes.
Of the remains recovered so far, one was a partially burnt body, while the rest were skeletal remains, making identification through conventional means difficult.
Blood samples of family members were collected at Baruipur Hospital on Wednesday to establish the identities of the deceased, in accordance with standard procedure. DNA profiling of the recovered bodies and body parts will be conducted next, the SP said.
"None of the bodies can be identified individually. We have to rely on DNA analysis. All the recovered parts have been sent for DNA mapping," he added.
According to police sources, eyewitnesses have told investigators that a picnic had been organised at the decorator's godown on the night of January 25, with at least 28 people present.
"After dinner, most of the workers went to sleep," they said, adding that the fire broke out thereafter. "We are examining whether the blaze was triggered by a cigarette or similar combustible material," the SP said.
The blaze reduced the warehouses and the manufacturing unit to rubble, leaving behind charred buildings and the bodies of workers.
Meanwhile, the fire services and forensic department have submitted a preliminary report to the police, stating that the blaze had originated not from the momo manufacturing unit, but from an adjoining godown of a decorator, a senior official said.
The report contradicts claims made earlier by the arrested owner of the decorators’ godown, Gangadhar Das, who had alleged that the fire first broke out in the momo factory.
“Based on the examination conducted so far, the fire originated on the third floor of the decorators’ godown and subsequently spread to other parts of the premises, including the momo manufacturing unit,” a senior police officer said, citing the joint report.
According to officials, forensic teams visited the spot soon after the incident and collected multiple samples to determine the cause and point of origin of the blaze.
“The fire spread rapidly from the decorators’ godown to the momo unit,” an official from the fire services said.
The report further noted that the decorators’ godown and the momo unit together spanned nearly 35,000 square feet, of which the momo factory occupied around 8,000 square feet.
The remaining area was allegedly being used by the decorator, officials said.
Police sources said that further forensic examination may be ordered if required.
