A fire erupted in a residential highrise in Dubai Sunday, authorities said, days after a blaze tore through a tower across the street. Dubai Civil Defence said Sunday it had put out the "minor fire" that broke out on a balcony in the 78-storey Tiger Tower, which opened to residents in 2010. No injuries were reported. The building is across the street from The Torch, an 87-storey residential tower which was engulfed by a fire in early hours of Friday, with no reports of injuries.
The Torch was also the scene of a 2015 fire that triggered a mass evacuation of surrounding buildings. In January, Dubai announced tougher rules to minimise fire risks after a series of tower blazes in the emirate mostly due to flammable material used in cladding, a covering or coating used on the side of the buildings. In the early hours of January 1, 2015, on New Year's Eve, 16 people were injured when a fire broke out in one of Dubai's luxury hotels.
In November 2015, fire engulfed three residential blocks in central Dubai and led to services on a metro line being suspended, although no one was hurt. In just over a decade, Dubai has built dozens of futuristic skyscrapers which have transformed its skyline. The city is home to the world's tallest building, Burj al-Khalifa, which stands 828 metres (2,700 feet) tall, as well as iconic palm tree-shaped, man-made luxury residential islands.