Story highlights Fire has been contained and guests and employees safely evacuated, hotel says

"The fire was just going so fast," a witness said as flames raged

Source says the fire began on the 20th floor when curtains inside a residence caught fire

(CNN) Clouds of smoke continued to waft Friday from a 63-floor luxury hotel in Dubai that was engulfed in flames on New Year's Eve.

Firefighters had battled the blaze raging at the swanky Address Downtown Dubai hotel late Thursday as a spectacular New Year's fireworks display lit up the night sky.

The fire started around 9:30 p.m. (12:30 p.m. ET) Thursday and burned well into early Friday. Witnesses said they heard explosions as the blaze ate away at one side of the towering structure in the heart of downtown Dubai.

Photos: Dubai hotel fire Photos: Dubai hotel fire Firefighters continue to work at the Address hotel in downtown Dubai on Friday, January 1. A massive fire broke out Thursday night at the high-end hotel in the United Arab Emirates' most populous city. Hide Caption 1 of 11 Photos: Dubai hotel fire Fireworks light up the night sky near the Address hotel. Despite the fire that started hours earlier, the highly anticipated New Year's Eve festivities went ahead as planned. Hide Caption 2 of 11 Photos: Dubai hotel fire More than a dozen people sustained minor injuries, according to the Twitter account of the Dubai government's media office. Hide Caption 3 of 11 Photos: Dubai hotel fire People watch as flames rip through the hotel Thursday night. Hide Caption 4 of 11 Photos: Dubai hotel fire The incident occurred near the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest skyscraper. Hide Caption 5 of 11 Photos: Dubai hotel fire The fire started around 9:30 p.m., witnesses said. Hide Caption 6 of 11 Photos: Dubai hotel fire People were gathering to watch New Year's Eve celebrations when the hotel caught on fire. Hide Caption 7 of 11 Photos: Dubai hotel fire Early reports said the fire started on the 20th floor. Hide Caption 8 of 11 Photos: Dubai hotel fire It was not immediately clear what caused the fire. Hide Caption 9 of 11 Photos: Dubai hotel fire The fire broke out as governments around the world were on high alert for possible terrorist attacks tied to New Year's Eve celebrations, but there was no immediate indication that terrorism was to blame for the blaze. Hide Caption 10 of 11 Photos: Dubai hotel fire The Address hotel describes itself as "the premier five-star hotel" in Dubai. Hide Caption 11 of 11

Bruce Szczepanski, who watched from the balcony of a nearby hotel, said he could still hear parts of the building crashing to the ground more than nine hours after the blaze began.

"There are huge flames, and you can hear the structure falling and the thuds," he said.

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