Massive explosion at port, no casualties
A massive explosion occurred just before midnight in Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port, spewing flames and shattering windows of buildings several kilometers away. However, no one has died. The explosion occurred on a small ship at Jebel Ali Port.
The fire broke out on a small-sized container ship in Jebel Ali Port, said Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Armi, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police. There were no casualties.
The Director General of Dubai Civil Defense, Major General Rashid Thani Al Matroshi, said the fire was completely brought under control about two and a half hours after the incident.
The crew managed to eject in time before the container exploded. The nature of the contents of the container is not yet known.
Indian expatriate Vishal Bathija, who lives relatively close to Jebel Ali Port, was watching the England-Denmark match when the explosion took place.
The 49-year-old from Mumbai said, “My TV room is on the port side. The sound was very loud and it caused our windows to crack.
Madhuri Bhandari, another Indian expat, said that despite the very crowded environment in the mall, she heard the explosion about 35 km away inside the Dubai Mall.
Jebel Ali is one of the largest ports in the world at the northern end of the city.
