This archive report was first published on 8 July 2021.
On July 8, 2021, a massive explosion rocked Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, sending shockwaves through the city and prompting an immediate investigation.
According to authorities, the blast occurred on a container ship carrying flammable materials, which unleashed a fireball and sent flames and smoke pouring from the vessel.
Fortunately, all 14 crew members were evacuated in time, and there were no reported casualties.
‘Thank God, everything is safe. But this is a natural accident that happened in one of the containers, which was also carrying some flammable materials. There was no other reason,’ said Mona Al Marri, director of the Dubai Media Office, in an interview with Al-Arabiya television.
Police vehicles and fire trucks were still parked close to the heavily damaged vessel, with burned containers visible on the quayside.
Residents of nearby apartment towers and villas reported hearing a loud bang in the night and then felt windows and doors shaking after the fireball shot into the sky.
Initial reports indicate that friction or heat may have led to the blast, according to Dubai police chief Abdullah al-Marri.
Such events are a rarity in the ultra-secure Gulf emirate, one of seven that make up the wealthy United Arab Emirates.
Jebel Ali port is capable of handling aircraft carriers and was the US Navy’s busiest port of call outside of the United States in 2017, according to the US Congressional Research Service.
