Blaze damages Dubai high-rise in latest fire

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A fire broke out, early Monday, at a 35-story high-rise in downtown Dubai near the world’s tallest building, racing up the side of the structure in the same way seen in other blazes fueled by flammable siding material.

A resident at the 8 Boulevard Walk told The Associated Press that the high-rise has cladding that officials planned to replace after a similar blaze tore through an iconic tower on New Year’s Eve, in 2015. However, that cladding was not replaced across the entire building, said the resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

Emaar Properties, the giant state-backed developer behind 8 Boulevard Walk and the nearby Burj Khalifa, which towers over the burned high-rise, did not respond to requests for comment about the building’s cladding.