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A massive fire engulfed a 67-story building in Dubai Marina on Friday, prompting authorities to evacuate nearly 4,000 people. According to a report by Khaleej Times, hundreds of tenants said the fire alarms didn’t work, and they only knew about the fire when they smelled smoke or got calls from friends. Thick smoke filled stairways, so some had to use elevators to get out. Many stayed outside all night before finding a place to stay. "I was on the 24th floor with my wife when we smelled something burning around 9:45 pm," one resident told Khaleej Times. “We checked our apartment but found nothing. From the balcony, we saw firefighters and people outside. A friend called and said he couldn’t enter because of the fire. Security only told us to leave when we called them.”

He added, “The stairs were too smoky, so we used the elevator, which worked. My wife felt sick from the smoke. We waited outside for 45 minutes before going to a hotel. Later, we saw flames higher up. It was scary.”

VIDEO: Massive fire engulfs a residential building in Dubai

Nearby Buildings Cleared

Ahmed, who lives in the next building, MAG 218, said, “We had to leave early in the morning because smoke got into my hallway. I grabbed a bag and used the stairs. I’m staying with a friend now. Everyone nearby was affected.”

‘We Could Have Died’

Some residents were upset because the building’s safety systems didn’t work. “The fire alarm never rang,” said someone from the 28th floor. “We only found out an hour later from a friend’s message. The stairs were full of smoke, so we took the elevator. The lobby was smoky too. Without people helping us, we might not have made it.”

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Another person said, “Most buildings in the UAE have good alarms and sprinklers, but not this one.” Ashiq, another resident, said, “By 11:30 pm, the smoke was too bad. The front desk told us to leave right away. We only took our phones. Now we need to find a place to stay for two days, and they say they’ll pay us back, but it’s stressful.”

Thanks to Helpers

People praised the Dubai Civil Defence, ambulance teams, and police for their quick help. “They came right away, helped everyone, and made sure we were safe,” said Amber, a neighbour. “One officer stayed calm and helped us in the elevator. They did a great job.”

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Many are still waiting for news about their homes. Some are in hotels, and a few went to the hospital because of the smoke. “We don’t know if our apartment is okay,” said Ashley, a resident. “I’ve been calling security all morning. We’re in a hotel now, just glad we’re safe. Some neighbours had to go to the hospital.”