Dubai once again demonstrated its inherent strength: Alabbar

Statement from Emaar Properties Chairman, Mohamed Alabbar:

“Dubai has once again demonstrated its inherent strength and positivity with the swift, professional, calm and caring response to the fire incident at The Address Downtown Dubai hotel.

“We are extremely thankful to the leadership and guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, for keeping our morale high, and for his prompt directives that enabled us to deal with a challenging situation with utmost professionalism. 

“Within minutes of the incident, Dubai Civil Defence, Dubai Police, Dubai Ambulance Services, the RTA, Dubai Heath Authority and the all governmental authorities concerned, coordinated and responded with maximum efficiency.

“Our immediate priority was ensuring the safety of our guests and colleagues, and we evacuated all of them safely in record time in a most orderly fashion. The authorities also ensured the safety of the hundreds of thousands of visitors to Downtown Dubai.

“All our guests and residents have been relocated across various Emaar and other hotels in the city. We have set up a dedicated team from different departments of Emaar to ensure that all requirements of our guests are being met immediately. We thank our guests for their understanding and patience.

“We also extend our gratitude to the management teams and staff of various hotels in Dubai, who stepped forward unconditionally to support us in relocating our guests. This is a true testament to how Dubai operates as ‘one team.’

“We are thankful to Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Dubai Police Chief; Major General Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, Director General of Dubai Civil Defence and the heads, first officers and staff members of all the Dubai government entities who demonstrated their superb commitment and dedication. We especially thank the Dubai Civil Defence officials for their exceptional bravery and hard work.

“The teams across Dubai government entities are the true heroes. Their noble work gives Dubai’s people and the business community the sense of security, comfort and confidence.

“Emaar is proud of them and we underline our commitment to do even more for these committed men and women. I believe that it is our responsibility to give back to them for being with us.

“We are also thankful to the various Embassy and Consulate officials in the UAE and Dubai for their support to us in facilitating the travel and documentation process for our guests. The authorities and staff at the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs, Dubai International Airport, Emirates Airline and other airline companies were quick to extend support to our guests, and we are grateful to them for their kind consideration and care in ensuring the well-being of our guests.

“I would also like thank my team at The Address Downtown Dubai and other Emaar hotels for their commitment and for putting the interests of the guests first and foremost. The team at Emaar Hospitality Group and Emaar’s various business divisions are working closely together and strive tirelessly to ensure that the concerns of our guests are efficiently addressed. We have set up a taskforce with a dedicated team and operations room to serve our guests.

“We also extend our heartfelt appreciation and debt of gratitude to the people of Dubai, especially the visitors to Downtown Dubai, for their patience and trust in us. Their orderly conduct demonstrated their confidence in Dubai’s officials to meeting any challenge calmly.

“We develop our projects to the highest standards of quality and as per international best practices. The hotel is the flagship project of The Address Hotels + Resorts. It is a global landmark that has welcomed guests from all over the world.

“It has set world-class benchmarks in the hospitality industry, and we are determined to restore it to all its glory, and even surpass the splendid architectural standards. Further timelines and plans will be shared as they are finalised.

“We are thankful that all our guests are safe and secure, and that we have overcome the challenge with the support of all the government entities and the people of the UAE.

“We derive new learnings from such events, which reinforce our resilience to be a company that is committed to add to the prestige and reputation of Dubai and create long-term value to all our stakeholders.”

Earlier Story: On Friday evening the Dubai Civil Defence said that the cooling procedures were still underway after the blaze at The Address Downtown Dubai hotel was brought under control and prevented from spreading to other buildings.

It said an investigation is being conducted to ascertain the causes of the accident.

Dubai Civil Defence said the fire broke out at around 9:00 pm on Thursday and the initial information indicates that it originated from the 20th floor of the hotel.

Cooling procedures at The Address Downtown Dubai hotel.

All information about the accident will be published once the investigation is complete.

The Crisis Management Committee, chaired by Commandant General of Dubai Police Major General Khamis Matar Al Muzainah, led the efforts to manage the incident, control the damages and secure the safety of the public, which was given top priority.

During the early hours of Friday, Major General Al Mazeina said, 14 people sustained minor injuries, one person sustained a moderate injury and one person suffered a heart attack.

Al Mazeina said there were no fatalities and all injured people were given medical assistance at the site and then transported to hospitals for further treatment.

All injured were discharged except for two - a pregnant woman and an elderly man - who are safe and in good condition.

The two have been kept at the hospital for close medical observation to ensure they recover completely.

Al Mazeina praised the exceptional collaboration between all the entities that are part of the Crisis Management Committee and the extraordinary efficiency of the Dubai Civil Defence in controlling the fire and helping avoid serious injuries or causalities.

Four fully equipped squads from Dubai Civil Defence units were dispatched to the fire scene, while ambulance teams were rushed to provide instant medical care and first aid on site.

Dubai Government responded rapidly to the incident and coordinated efforts to instantly evacuate the hotel's guests to ensure their safety.

Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing provided alternative accommodation for all the guests. A dedicated hotline number (+971 442 38870) was created for the hotel’s guests and for any inquiries or support.

Security forces secured the hotel’s premises and surroundings, and re-directed pedestrian traffic through alternative routes.

The Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO), led by GDMO's Director General Mona Ghanem Al Marri, coordinated with Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Defence and other concerned authorities to keep the public and media updated on a timely basis on all developments via social media.

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