Fire sweeps through Dubai skyscraper

Fire engulfed a 63-storey skyscraper in downtown Dubai on Thursday night, but there appeared to be no injuries, a civil defence official said.

Large tongues of flame shooting skywards enveloped the luxury hotel and residential block, which lies across a plaza from the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, where people were gathering for a spectacular fireworks display due to mark the start of the New Year.

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#BREAKING All residents evacuated safely from Dubai hotel fire: police chief

— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) December 31, 2015

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The fire at the Address Downtown reported to have originated from outside 20th floor of hotel, has not spread inside

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) December 31, 2015

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"There are no injuries, thank God," Major General Rashed al-Matrushi, general director of the Dubai Civil Defence, told the the pan-Arab television channel Al Arabiya.

He said the festivities would go ahead despite the fire, saying: "Of course, it will not affect the celebration."

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Man who was inside Dubai hotel during fire describes panic: "People were crushing each other trying to get out" https://t.co/gvspHAsu0q

— Sky News (@SkyNews) December 31, 2015

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The Dubai government's media office tweeted that civil defence teams were working to evacuate the 300-metre hotel and tackle the fire.

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Officials say the fire at #Dubai's Address Hotel broke out on the hotel's 20th floor https://t.co/5aQc7tnU7x pic.twitter.com/2MPcevoFAS

— CNN (@CNN) December 31, 2015

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It said the blaze had started on the 20th floor, on the outside of the tower, and that internal fire-fighting systems were operating to try to prevent it getting inside the hotel. Four fire brigade teams were at the site.

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Fire at hotel in central #Dubai #UAE pic.twitter.com/bHaw8NjAi7

— Hassan Ridha (@sayed_ridha) December 31, 2015

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Dubai is a trade, tourism and investment hub for the Gulf region, and is one of seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

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The fire is happening right by the location where the Dubai fireworks show takes place. pic.twitter.com/FKazymJMCl

— Globe Pics (@Globe_Pics) December 31, 2015

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Every year, Dubai stages one of the world's most spectacular fireworks displays from the 160-storey Burj, which opened in 2010 and stands almost 830 metres (2,722 feet) tall.