Ship explosion rocks Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port as firefighters work to contain blaze

8/7/2021

(See Translation in Arabic Section

The fire was reported to have broken out on a ship at the port, according to the emirate’s state-run media office, which said a team of firefighters was working to control the blaze.

Officials said there were no immediate reports of casualties. The extent of the damage caused by the explosion to the port and surrounding cargo was not immediately clear.

Witnesses across the city reported buildings shaking. Residents of neighbourhoods as far as 25 kilometres away felt the blast, at about 11.45pm local time. Journalists felt the blast rock the glass windows of their buildings.

Jebel Ali is one of the largest ports in the world and the largest in the Middle East. It serves cargo from the Indian subcontinent, Africa and Asia.

A container ship at Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port caught fire late on Wednesday, causing an explosion that sent tremors across the commercial hub of the UAE.