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A massive fire has broken out at a luxury Dubai apartment block - raining smouldering debris down on the floors and roads below.

Firefighters are battling the blaze at the 75-storey Sulafa Tower in the Dubai Marina, United Arab Emirates, with hundreds of people reportedly evacuated from the block.

They are now understood to have taken control of the fire, according to reports from the city.

Videos posted online showed huge sections of the building - possibly as much as two thirds of the block - engulfed by flames.

Debris could be seen falling from the skyscraper, a popular home for ex-pats, which is 285m tall - making it the 23rd tallest building in Dubai and 127th tallest in the world.

It is just a walk away from the famous Palm Jumeirah artificial archipelago.

Time Out Dubai said the fire is believed to have started on Sulafa Tower's 35th floor at 2.48pm on Wednesday.

It said debris had landed on balconies on the lower floors, which then helped the fire spread.

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Videos taken at the scene appear to show at least two thirds of the building has been affected.

And one photograph showed flames belching from the building's top floors.

One resident told Mirror.co.uk: "My whole life is in the apartment. The fire started on the 35th floor, but we're not sure how yet. Most of the people who live there are standing outside watching the fire.

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"The fire has spread down both sides of the building now and is getting worse.

"My mate also lives in the same block and hasn't renewed his house insurance yet this year so if his flat goes up he's done for.

"Residents in surrounding buildings are also now being evacuated because they are worried they may also catch fire. Debris is floating down from the building and is landing in neighbouring swimming pools."

(Image: Twitter)

Another resident: "I was at work at the time and I'm now standing outside the building. The whole building has been evacuated but the fire is still spreading."

Reports suggest the roof of the building's car park was also ablaze at one stage.

At least 10 fire engines are at the scene and residents have been evacuated from the block.

Time Out said The Westin Dubai Mina Sehayi was offering refuge to residents who have been evacuated.

According to the Dubai Media Office, there are no casualties with videos emerging of residents sitting on the roads beside the block with paramedics on the scene.

Roads around the building have been closed to traffic.

In 2012, residents of the same block, which has 700 flats, were evacuated by a fire in an apartment on the 36th floor.

On New Year's Eve 2015, another skyscraper fire in Dubai resulted in 60 injuries and one death.

Fire gutted the five-star Address Downtown hotel as terrified guests and revellers fled for their lives.

Medics said at least 60 people were injured and one person suffered a heart attackfrom smoke and overcrowding.