Sixteen people have died and nine have been injured after a fire at an apartment block in Dubai.
The fire broke out on the fourth floor of a five-storey building in the Al-Ras neighbourhood, one of the oldest parts of Dubai. The apartment is believed to have been shared by several people, a common practice for labourers in the area.
Dubai Civil Defence said the blaze was caused by a lack of compliance with building security and safety regulations.
The building is also home also to a grocery store, a smoke shop and other businesses on its ground floor.
On Sunday, yellow police crime scene tape cordoned off the building, which also still had a heavy police presence.
A man working nearby at the time of the blaze said the fire began just after noon on Saturday.
He told The Associated Press that there had been an explosion, followed by thick black smoke.
He said neighbours believed people were asleep inside at the time, something typical for the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
“Preliminary investigations showed that lack of compliance with building security and safety requirements caused the fire,” a Dubai Civil Defence statement said.
“Relevant authorities are conducting a comprehensive investigation to provide a detailed report on the causes of the accident.”
Deira, where the Al-Ras neighbourhood is located, is home to gold and spice markets, a major tourist attraction in the city.
