Dubai: An explosion in the container on a ship docked at Dubai Port caused a massive fire on the ship and shook the sparkling commercial center from the UAE, the authorities said on Thursday.
The explosion occurred in the container on board, preparing to dock from the main shipping path of Port Jebel Ali around midnight on Wednesday.
There were no deaths or injuries reported and the fire was under control, the authorities said.
There are 14 sailors on board, which is evacuated safely.
“The fire was reportedly broken in a container in a ship anchored in Port Jebel Ali.
The Dubai civil defense team works to remove fire,” Dubai Media Office said in a tweet on their official account.
Director General of Dubai Civil Defense General Major Rashid Thani Al Matrooshi said Port Jebel Ali had been brought fully controlled and the cooling process was underway.
The team takes 40 minutes to control the fire.
Blaze sent a giant orange fire on a ship at Jebel Ali port, the ninth largest port in the world and the largest in the region.
The explosion was heard across the Dubai section, with residents to hear a loud explosion, according to witnesses.
The panic population was filmed from their height as a fiery ball illuminating the night sky.
Residents from Marina, JVC, and Emirates Hills said that they heard a loud explosion that shook their doors and windows.
The Dubai media office posted a video of firefighters extinguishing the fire at the port.
General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, the head of the commander at Dubai police went to the fire site and said the fire occurred on a cargo ship on the 14th pier, Gulf News reported.
“The ship carries 130 containers.
Three containers contain flammable materials.
There are no explosives in it or radioactive materials” said General Al Marri.
Investigation is underway to determine the reason behind the fire.
Port authority Jebel Ali said they took all the necessary steps to ensure normal ship movements at the port.
Operated by the DP World DP based in Dubai, the port can trace some of the largest vessels in the world.
Port is not only a critical global cargo hub but the lifeline for Dubai and the surrounding emirates.
The DP World described Port Jebel Ali as “Hub Gateway” and “Vital Link in the Global Trade Network” which connects the east and west markets.
The company did not immediately issue a public statement about the explosion.
Port Jebel Ali was built in the late 1970s to add facilities in Port Rashid.
Dubai is a trade, business and tourism hub in the region.
The city is also one of the safest cities in the world.