A major explosion at the Dubai Port of Jabal Ali drew firefighters and other emergency response personnel racing to the site, a central location for docking by oil tankers in the region.
Witnesses said that buildings across the commercial hub of the UAE were rocked by the blast.
footage of the damage of the explosion in Dubai pic.twitter.com/DuQy13S8dh
— World News Live Alerts (@WorldNewsLive_)
The Dubai Media Office (DMO) said the blast was caused by a fire that broke out aboard a container ship anchored in the port. “A fire has been reported to have broken out in a container within a ship anchored in Jebel Ali Port. A Dubai Civil Defense team is working to put out the blaze,” the DMO tweeted.
A fire caused by an explosion within a container on board a ship at Jebel Ali Port has been brought under control; no casualities have been reported. pic.twitter.com/iLdS3zEegW
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice)
Unconfirmed reports quoted by multiple news media said the ship was an oil tanker.
: Major explosion in Dubai, this evening. Initial reports say it was an oil tanker. pic.twitter.com/5HyNlFZ9b3
— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky)
There are reports that the explosion happened on the “Ocean Trader” ship. Initial reports said the ship was the J Pioneer.
There is also a US Air Force base in the port, unnamed sources said, as well as an oil refinery.
A fire has been reported to have broken out in a container within a ship anchored in Jebel Ali Port.
At the moment The fire is under control and there are no deaths or injuries reported in Jabal Ali port
() pic.twitter.com/B54lOsicYX— Journalist Siraj Noorani (@sirajnoorani)
The cause of the blast was not immediately clear. Civil defense sources said no injuries were reported, Reuters reported.