A massive fire broke out Thursday night at the high-end Address hotel in downtown Dubai, the government of the United Arab Emirates' most populous city said.
Video showed orange tentacles of flames swirling up the outside of several stories at the high-rise hotel's midsection.
As many as four crews of firefighters are battling the blaze, the government said. Early reports from Dubai authorities said the fire started on the 20th floor.
The Address hotel describes itself as "the premier five-star hotel" in Dubai. It stands near the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest skyscraper.
New Year's celebrations will go ahead in Dubai Thursday night despite the huge fire , the spokeswoman for the emirate's government said.
"New Year's celebrations will proceed according to schedule," Mona al-Marri was quoted by Al-Arabiya television as saying, before confirming on her Twitter account.
