MARY ELLEN CAGNASSOLA
An explosion sent shockwaves across the commercial hub of the United Arab Emirates late Wednesday, when a container ship anchored at Dubai's huge port caught fire, according to the emirate's media office.
A Twitter post from Dubai's state-run media office said the fire reportedly erupted at the Jebel Ali Port and that a team of firefighters was working to control the blaze. The video shows an explosion billowing up in giant orange flames on a stationed vessel at Jebel Ali, the busiest port in the Middle East, located on the eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula.
The combustion caused tremors through the city that shook buildings and windows up to 25 kilometers (15 miles) away from the port. No immediate casualties were reported, the government said.
Dubai authorities issued a statement early Thursday saying emergency services had brought the blaze under control. The Dubai Media Office posted footage of firefighters dousing giant shipping containers. The glow of the blaze was visible in the background as civil defense crews worked to contain the fire.
The extent of damage caused to the sprawling port and surrounding cargo was not immediately clear. The cause of the fire also was not immediately known.
At around 11:45 p.m., people in Dubai recording with their phones from high-rises at a distance posted frantic videos on social media showing a fiery ball illuminating the night sky.
The Jebel Ali Port at the northern end of Dubai is the largest man-made deep-water harbor in the world and the largest port in the Middle East. It's the busiest port of call for American warships outside of the U.S. and serves cargo from the Indian subcontinent, Africa and Asia.
Operated by the Dubai-based DP World, the port has four sprawling container terminals that can berth some of the world's largest ships. The port is not only a critical global cargo hub, but a lifeline for Dubai and surrounding emirates, serving as the point of entry for essential imports
DP World describes Jebel Ali Port as a "gateway hub" and a "vital link in the global trade network" that connects eastern and western markets. The company did not immediately issue any public statement on the blast.
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