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Fire Engulfs Luxury Address Hotel in Dubai. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired December 31, 2015 - 14:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


[14:30:00] FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: While you were talking and describing the party that you're attending miles away and that you have this great vantage point at the Burj Khalifa and that's why many people are talking. We were also looking at images of people who were being evacuated. It looked in a very fairly calm manner considering the volume of people who appear to be right there. We're looking at the images now at the lobby level. Clearly you can see there's some confusion. That's to be expected. But it also looks orderly there. You're not hearing any screaming. You're not looking at people who appear to be panicked. But instead, following the instructions there.

So, John, while you and many others presumably thousands of others are there at that location at the amazing race course to witness the fireworks, do you feel like there are mixed feelings about whether the fireworks display should still take place with the backdrop of the Address in flames?

JOHN DALZIEL, WITNESS (voice-over): Yeah, I will be very honest. When we can see the flames clearly from here, I have never seen the skyline in such glory as you have from here. I think what you're seeing at the moment is just repercussions of a planned fireworks display and just had a domino effect on the building at the Address. We have had confirmed reports that the government is sending a water taxi to the Address building itself to try to help aid in getting that fire out. We have also been told that the whole area has been evacuated. Trying to join in the festivities here. We are completely sold out here tonight. It's a real shame for people who have come to downtown Dubai to see the fireworks. They have been evacuated to safer areas. It's a lot of people. Estimated one million people come to downtown Dubai to see the fireworks spectacular. It's just good to hear they are safe.

What I can see at the moment I'm looking directly at the stage. I can see while the fire was happening it was lit by lights and you can see it was prominent in the skyline. I don't know why but those lights have gone out. Those are lights at the Address are still on. The flights are still on even though smoke is barreling from that building and causing a real haze and huge on the Dubai skyline.

WHITFIELD: We're looking at the left of the screen the live picture thanks to our friend Bruce Szczepanski on his balcony. He's showing us these live pictures.

You can see the column of lights to the right of the flames at the Address Hotel. And now we're just 27 minutes away now from the scheduled fireworks display that would take place just across the waterway from the Address at the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building.

Bruce, I wonder if you're able to hear me. It was very windy when you and I were speaking earlier. We're seeing the billowing smoke. And we saw embers that seemed to be traveling. So what's your feeling about windy conditions and whether in a way that would impact whether it be the fireworks display or the fire fighting efforts there.

BRUCE SZCZEPANSKI, WITNESS: I can tell you from the fireworks display I have seen it windy and other -- this will be my third New Year's Eve and the winds aren't as much of an issue. But from a fire fighting standpoint, at least the fire was it will be the display they do every year at New Year's.

[14:35:02]WHITFIELD: Bruce, so do you mind standing next to the Burj Khalifa. Are you saying that's typically what happens? It goes dark before the fireworks display or it's usually lit.

SZCZEPANSKI: To that point, normally, they will have the Burj lit up with videos and et cetera all the way up until the fireworks until the countdown. Right now they have shut all the lights off on the exterior. There's no displays.

WHITFIELD: Bruce, we're going to continue to take advantage of your beautiful vantage point from your balcony there of the skyline. Sadly, we're seeing the Address Hotel in flames.

I want to bring in Tafeek Raheen, a witness to the fire.

Tafeek, can you tell me where you were and to what extent were you a witness?

Looks like we lost Tafeek. We'll try to reestablish our connection with him if we can.

Bruce, I want to bring you back.

We're looking still at this building that is fully engulfed. It seems like it's been at least an hour and a half or even two now of this fire burning.

SZCZEPANSKI: About two hours now.

WHITFIELD: We understand from others that we have talked to talking about the fire fighting efforts. We heard our own Becky Anderson say there were about four fire trucks there. Are you seeing anything that might support reinforcements? You said they were probably news helicopters. Are you seeing any air help?

SZCZEPANSKI: No, I'm not seeing any backup air help at this point in time. I did see the water from the fire trucks. It's not very accessible. I believe that's why probably they haven't been able to get equipment to the area.

WHITFIELD: There are a million people there to see. Some have come to see the fireworks display. Has it been gridlock in the streets and making it difficult for fire help to get there? SZCZEPANSKI: They typically shut the avenues down anywhere between

4:00 and 6:00. So it would have easy for the fire trucks to get in. Many of the trucks were already here as a precaution. So I don't think it would have been a gridlock issue other than people. Usually people move aside fairly quickly when a truck is coming down the street with lights on.

Bruce, thank you so much.

We're going to continue to look at your vantage point and bring in Diana Loesch.

I understand, Diana, do you live across the street from the Address Hotel?

We're trying to reestablish that connection with Diana.

Becky Anderson, a CNN correspondent who is based in that region, is in Dubai on the ground.

Becky, what are you hearing? We do understand Dubai officials are saying 14 reported injuries.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. 14 people they say have sustained minor injuries in this fire that broke out at the Address Hotel on the 20th floor in downtown. Very close to the Burj Khalifa and where the fireworks are due to take place in Dubai in about 20 minutes time. We believe 14 people sustaining minor injuries. One described as having a medium injury and one person who appears to have suffered a heart attack as a result of the overcrowding and the engulfing of the smoke at the time. I have to say we have been speaking to authorities here. They have now got 90 percent of that fire under control. As I pointed out, a half hour ago, there are some four or five fire teams working this fire, which has been ongoing now for about two hours time. 9:35 local time was when the fire was first alerted. I was at a hotel not far away. I heard people at the table beside me talking about it. And very quickly, this fire looked particularly bad. As you said now, authorities telling us 90 percent of this fire at least now under control within the building. 14 people sustaining minor injuries, one slightly worse and one heart attack.

[14:40:42] As you have been pointing out, the firework display is still due to go ahead in about 20 minutes time. You were asking the eyewitness a moment ago about the crowding in Dubai. I was actually very surprised. We are always warned about coming down into Dubai and just how bad the traffic will be around an enormous event for the UAE. Aside from Times Square, Sydney and London, this is one of the biggest firework displays in the world. In fact, it was the biggest a couple years ago. So an awful lot of people who will be here o out to celebrate this. But the roads were very, very clear. It's been very well organized this year in Dubai. It was easy to get through. There will be thousands of people around the Burj Khalifa as there will be thousands of people in the maiden course and the Burj tonight. But these fireworks will go ahead. Clearly a more somber atmosphere this evening as a result of what has happened. But authorities say they do now have this under control.

WHITFIELD: Wow. So, Becky, the reporting is extraordinary that officials feel very confident of 90 percent contained. You're reminding us for those just now joining us the Address Hotel is on fire in downtown Dubai. And this is just across the lake from the Burj Khalifa, which is that extraordinary building where everyone remembers seeing the fireworks display shooting from the sides of the building. You can recall this over year's time. That was to happen again. Now we're really at 18 minutes and counting. Officials are saying that this show is still going to take place. It's a shopping mall, there's restaurants. It is engulfed in flames. Extraordinary, Becky, to hear officials say right now 14 reported injuries and that the evacuations have been very well orchestrated. That according to eyewitnesses.

ANDERSON: Yeah, I think those eyewitnesses are spot on. This has been a terrible event. The aftermath very well organized. 14 minor injuries, one described as medium. And one suffering a heart attack as a result of this fire, which we believe broke out in one of the rooms on the 20th floor of this hotel. You point out this is a 5 star hotel, but it's mixed complex. This is a hotel and residential compound. It's 63 stories. And according to one source at the airport that we spoke to earlier on this was a hotel that was a big event. It was a beautiful day. 29 degrees today in the UAE. This is a place people come to enjoy themselves to get a suntan, play golf and get to see these fireworks. The show will go on. With the fire now 90 percent under control, despite what the pictures may be reflecting. It's what's going on within the body of the hotel. The show at this stage will go on.

WHITFIELD: Thank you so much. Becky Anderson, we're going to check back with you.

Let's bring in Diana Loesch. She is at a building just across the way from that burning Address Hotel.

Again, thanks to Bruce Szczepanski providing this Skype shot to the left.

Now I'm actually going to go to Devi Trianna instead.

So, Devi, tell me what you're seeing. I understand you have been living in Dubai for three years now.

[14:45:01] DEBBI TRIANNA, WITNESS: At the moment, I'm inside the Burj Khalifa complex where a thousand people or so waiting the massive fireworks display at the moment. And as I see now the fire not as big as before. But still the fire is on that building at the Address downtown - Dubai. I can see clearly the heavy, thick smoke coming out from the building. And now people what I see right beside me started because they are getting ready for the fireworks display I read that the fireworks display is still on schedule. Because it's half an hour from now. But what I see at the moment right now there's another fire starting up on the side of the building, heavy smoke coming up at the lower building of the Address. If I explain to you more, I'm standing just in front of the Burj Khalifa tower across the lake where the building, I can see clearly just in front of me.

WHITFIELD: Devi, so hold on a moment. We're also looking at a clear vantage point from another resident's balcony.

And, Bruce, we understand some people heard some explosions or sounded like some booms. When you and I were talking, we saw a boom and you guessed that could be a restaurant. Have you heard anything since last we spoke?

SZCZEPANSKI: There was an explosion. It was quite loud, louder than the one that was earlier. Since that time the fires have erupted. The fires have started to increase in size and height. So it's moved over from the center where it originally started and shifting around clockwise now to the side of the building. So this is more towards the Dubai Mall.

WHITFIELD: I wonder, I realize this may not be your expertise but just knowing the geography of the area and the landscape of downtown, as this continues to burn, I think most presume that at some point it will collapse or portions of it will collapse. So what is nearby potentially in terms of other kinds of buildings or residences or would it be your feeling they would evacuate a particular perimeter.

SZCZEPANSKI: Almost all of the buildings that I have seen constructed the last three years, and I would assume the same for the Address Hotel, they are concrete structures. So they are going to hold up fairly well to probably a lot of the intense heat. But adjacent to it is the Dubai Mall. And then the other side of it would be the -- you can see the flames are starting to move up pretty quickly along the side of the building. Theorizing almost as quickly as it did when the fire first started. Now it's really the exterior balconies that are probably in flames. And moving up pretty quick and rising.

WHITFIELD: And while we're talking, we have re-racked some video on the right-hand side of the screen. You might end up seeing an explosion or some kind of extra burst of fire, there is it is right there as we're talking. So this is about what you saw earlier. And what you have been describing over the last few seconds here. All this happening, we're now 11 minutes away from that scheduled fire works display.

SZCZEPANSKI: Which is pretty dark right now.

WHITFIELD: Yeah. And what do you think that means? Officials are saying the fireworks display is still going to happen now 11 minutes from now that it went dark. What's the indicator? What's your gut say about that?

SZCZEPANSKI: I don't know. If officials say it's going to go off, they are pretty good about that. They are not going to dismiss it. With the events behind me, it doesn't seem to be what would happen.

[14:50:12] WHITFIELD: And it's very windy. You're on your balcony. How many stories up are you?

SZCZEPANSKI: Seven. WHITFIELD: OK, you have seen fireworks displays there before.

For people just joining us, that's taped of the explosion of that building to the right. You've seen it much windier before and still have the fireworks display. This is different because you have the Address Hotel that's on fire. You don't believe weather would change the dynamics here.

SZCZEPANSKI: No. And there's another explosion that just took place.

WHITFIELD: All right, another explosion of that building.

Let me bring in Diana Loesch.

Bruce, stick with me. You're doing a great job. You're really bringing us there. We really appreciate it.

Diana also heard explosions earlier.

What's your vantage point? Describe where you are and what you have seen along the way.

DIANA LOESCH, WITNESS: Sure. I've been watching the fire since it started. We just second massive explosions. What's happening is the massive explosion was a balcony falling. And as Bruce described, the fire is clockwise but now it's going into the Dubai Mall. The vantage point is I live right across the street in a small business district and also residential. The fire seems more contained, but we're hearing large explosions as it burns into the courtyard and into the mall as well. There are massive explosions.

WHITFIELD: We could hear it and see it from two different vantage points. Just within the past 30 minutes this may be explosion number four.

LOESCH: Correct.

WHITFIELD: We're eight minute was from an extraordinary fireworks display. Amazingly, we're told from officials that they have reports of 14 injuries. They appear to be minor injuries. We saw video of evacuations and a very calm matter. It seems as though these tall buildings have to have a number of drills on a regular basis. It seems as though when things like this happen and this is a very unique set of circumstances, it seems as though the fact that people have been very calm has assisted in a great way.

LOESCH: Yeah, I would agree to that. I went on the street earlier around 6:00 p.m. just to check out what was happening. The government here is very fluid and very good about having everything in order. They have been setting up for these fireworks for about two weeks. There's a lot of places you can go for first aid for any kind of assistance. So I think in this way, people have been able to be ushered out very easily. Everyone is complying and it's quite tragic. That's the part of the neighborhood that people are very respectful and everything is flowing as it should be in terms of triaging massive amounts of people out of the downtown area. WHITFIELD: Diana, I just want to remind people where we are here.

We're just over five minutes away from what is scheduled to be a pretty sizable fireworks display across the waterway at the Burj Khalifa hotel. It's more than 1.6 tons of fireworks expected to be carried out according to officials. All the while across the waterway here at the Address Hotel and residence it is on fire. In the course of the last 20 minutes, we have heard it. We have seen it. I'm using that term closely. It may be combustion. It could be our guest was thinking perhaps from the kitchens and restaurants at the hotel. We know there have been bursts of flames right there at that tower, which is 63 stories tall. It is fully engulfed. And watching it live. You're seeing a few images. Just five minutes from now, that fireworks display is expected to take place.

Kim Kelaita is CNN's producer and she's at that hotel now.

Kim, tell us what you're seeing, hearing, experiencing.

[14:55:29] KIM KELAITA, CNN PRODUCER (voice-over): So my vantage point is the hotel is in front of me. To the right of me, waiting about four minutes for the largest fireworks display. The irony is the smoke billowing from the hotel, flames that are visible. I'm not quite sure that people know what's going on. I think they are waiting for a fireworks display that is going to happen.

WHITFIELD: What a contrast in these images we're seeing. We see this beautiful building. They are doing an extraordinary view of explaining what he's seeing from his second floor apartment balcony. You see the flames there the Address Hotel. And you are describing the people are rather confused. They are not sure what they are weight for if it's beginning to happen.

KELAITA: I'm looking straight up the Address Hotel and three quarters of the way there are visible flames. And smoke billowing and to the left of me as is a said is from what officials told me is a million people waiting for this fireworks display on to the world's tallest tower. I don't think they know what's going on. There's a lot of police activity. A lot of security on the ground. This is normally quite a secure area.

WHITFIELD: If you're just joining us, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta.

I've got CNN producer, Kim Kelaita, with us who is there in Dubai. And Bruce Szczepanski providing this incredible Skype vantage point to the left of your screen of the Address Hotel in downtown Dubai fully engulfed in flames. While on the right side, you're seeing anticipation of the million or so people who have turned out in downtown Dubai to look at the world's tallest building on the right side of your screen. It's centered by that incredible clock. On the side of that building from top to bottom will be fireworks. It's one of the most extraordinary celebration displays in the world. Officials have said even while this fire is underway at the Address Hotel in downtown Dubai, the show will still go on.

And you heard our producer describe, Kim, they are kind of stoic not quite sure what to expect now two minutes and counting.

Kim, so are people mostly quiet? Are they talking?

KELAITA: From the vantage point we're at, flames are extremely visible. People have now turned to that and are looking at that. They are looking at the visible flames which are now almost a quarter of the way of the building. All eyes are on the flames. And it's shocking to see this happening.

WHITFIELD: It is shocking to see. Here we are thousands of miles away and shocking to everyone at home too because this is an active fire. Amazingly, Dubai officials have said that 14 have been injured. We're seeing what appears to be some kind of pulsating light there on the left of the screen. Not quite sure what that means. Becky Anderson was describing minor injuries. Now on the right-hand side of the screen, you're seeing -- are people holding glow sticks? Is that part of a light show underway at the Burj Park where upwards of 100,000 people could be converging for this display?

We're now 30 seconds away from that countdown, by the way, Kim.

KELAITA: We're out here. Many people in today's times are doing video from their own phones. That's kind of what you're probably seeing instead of glow sticks. It's people's telephones up and getting pictures of the flames that are extremely visible. And literally --

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: Kim, I'm going to stop you there.

We're just going to watch. The countdown is on, nine, eight. Let's listen and watch.

(SHOUTING)