According to local media reports, a residential building fire in Dubai resulted in the deaths of 16 people and injuries to nine others in the wealthy Gulf emirate.
The fire began on Saturday at midday on the fourth floor of the building located in the Al-Ras neighbourhood in the old part of the city.
The civil defence force stated that preliminary investigations showed a “lack of compliance with building safety and security requirements” as the cause of the fire.
Dubai, one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates, has a population of approximately 3.3 million, of which almost 90 percent are foreigners.
The victims’ nationality has not been disclosed. The city has had significant fires in the past, resulting in extensive damage but few casualties.
The authorities implemented stricter building regulations in 2017 to reduce the risk of fires, mainly caused by flammable materials used in buildings’ exterior cladding.
