DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A fire broke out at a restaurant on Sheikh Zayed Road early Monday, sending thick smoke over one of Dubai’s busiest highways and triggering a rapid emergency response.
Dubai Civil Defence said its operations room received the alarm at 7:42 a.m. on July 6. Al Ittihad Fire Station was dispatched immediately and arrived at the scene six minutes later.
Authorities classified the blaze as a medium-scale fire. As a precaution, residents in the surrounding area were evacuated while firefighters worked to contain the flames.
By 10:50 a.m., the incident commander confirmed the fire had been brought under control and cooling operations were underway. No injuries were reported.
Dubai Civil Defence said the site will be handed over to the relevant authorities once cooling is complete, following standard procedure.
Dubai Police also confirmed the incident and said emergency teams were responding to the blaze. An officer speaking on Dubai FM advised motorists to drive carefully because smoke was affecting visibility in the area.
Witnesses described seeing emergency vehicles reach the scene within minutes. One bystander said the smoke was visible during a morning walk near the building. Further details on the cause of the fire were not immediately available.
