Witnesses say firefighting trucks and boats are battling a fire involving multiple wooden trading ships that are burning along the main waterway that runs through the heart of Dubai.
The fire began today afternoon along the Dubai Creek and sent thick black smoke billowing into the air above the Mideast commercial hub's densely packed Deira district.
It was not immediately clear what sparked the blaze, which spread to boxes and crates of merchandise lining the docks used by traditional wooden vessels known as dhows.
Officials did not immediately respond to requests for information about the fire or whether there were any casualties.
The Dubai Creek is an inlet of the Persian Gulf that separates the old core of the city and remains an active trading port for small vessels.
