Huge fire breaks out near Dubai's New Year's fireworks display

A huge fire has broken out this evening at a hotel near Dubai's massive New Year's Eve fireworks display.

It was not immediately clear what caused the fire, which ran up at least 20 stories of The Address Hotel near the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest skyscraper at 828 metres.

Burning debris rained down from the building as firetrucks raced to the scene. It was not immediately clear if anyone was wounded in the blaze.

Dubai planned to wow spectators with three separate firework displays. The show was to begin at the Burj Khalifa, which organisers said was fitted with 400,000 LED lights. They said 1.6 tons of fireworks would be used in the display.

From there, the fireworks were to light up the sky around the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab and later down near the Dubai Marina. Fireworks also will be on display in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the country of seven emirates.