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A8 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 5 auguSt 2017
Fire put out at 87-story residential skyscraper in Dubai

By AYA BATRAWY months ago, snagging an
Associated Press apartment on the 54th
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- floor of the luxury tower. He
ates (AP) - Police in Dubai said he was coming home
reopened the streets after midnight when build-
around one of the world’s ing security guards told him
tallest residential skyscrap- to remain in the street be-
ers after firefighters put out cause a fire had erupted.
a blaze that erupted early He said his roommate
Friday in the high-rise, forc- grabbed their passports
ing residents to evacuate and that it took him more
in the middle of the night than two hours to come
and sending chunks of de- down the stairway be-
bris plummeting below. cause of the rush of peo-
No major injuries had been ple trying to get out at the
reported in the tower, lo- same time. At least one
cated in an upscale water- woman passed out in the
front district heavily popu- stairway, Aletomeh said.
lated by expatriates from Nearly the entire length
around the world. A few of the building on one
people were treated for side became engulfed in
smoke inhalation, accord- flames at one point dur-
ing to Dubai’s Gulf News Fire damage is shown on the Torch Tower at Marina district in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Friday, ing the blaze as residents
website. Aug. 4, 2017. Firefighters have put out a blaze that broke out early Friday in one of the world’s looked on from below,
Several residents said the tallest residential towers in Dubai, engulfing part of the skyscraper and sending chunks of debris many in tears. The firefight-
fire broke out just after 1 plummeting below, the city authorities said. ers battled the blaze for
a.m. at the 87-story Torch (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili) more than two hours. Of-
Tower — a more than ficials say 84 floors of the
1,100-foot-tall (335 me- building are residential
ters) residential building in cade of the building were in Dubai have been linked reza Aletomeh, a resident and three are for services.
Dubai’s Marina district. also burnt, they said. to highly flammable build- of the tower. “I had cash in Dubai’s Civil Defense an-
The tower has 676 apart- The same building had also ing cladding — as was the there, furniture, paintings. nounced at about 3:30
ments — 38 of which were caught fire just two-and-a- devastating June tower ... Many things that are very a.m. that firefighters had
burnt and destroyed by half years earlier. fire in London that killed at valuable to me.” brought the blaze under
the fire, according to the The cause of the fire on was least 80 people. Aletomeh, a sales man- control and said cooling
official Dubai media office. not immediately known but “You never think it’s going ager, said he moved to operations were under-
Sixty-four floors of the fa- in the past, such infernos to happen to you,” said Ali- the Torch Tower just three way. q

Italian wine harvest begins 10

days early with heat, drought

By COLLEEN BARRY production is expected to
BRIAN HENDRIE be 10 percent to 15 percent
Associated Press lower than last year due to
COCCAGLIO, Italy (AP) weather conditions, which
— The Italian wine grape included in some areas
harvest is having its earliest an early bloom followed
start in a decade due to by late frost, while violent
the effects of the summer’s hailstorms struck elsewhere.
heatwave and drought. At the same time, the
Producers of bubbly quality is expected to be
spumante in the excellent in places like
Franciacorta area of Franciacorta, where there
Lombardy, some 80 were periodic rains in
kilometers (50 miles) east June and July followed by
of Milan in northern Italy, intense heat, which creates
officially launched the 2017 more concentrated sugar
harvest on Friday, 10 days levels optimal for wine
earlier than last year. production.
“Every year, we need Last year, Italy produced
to pay close attention 5.16 billion liters of wine.
to the vine. There is no Coldiretti said this year’s
longer certainty on when production would depend
to harvest,” said Claudio on weather conditions
Faccoli, a winemaker in the coming months.
whose label produces The harvest begins with
55,000 bottles a year. “We pinot and chardonnay
need to keep an eye on and continues into early
the climatic situation.” October with grapes that
The Coldiretti agricultural yield more spicy red wines,
lobby said Italian wine like Valpolicella.q