An advanced team of Dubai firefighters have scaled new heights after climbing 159 floors of Burj Khalifa in record time.
The Dubai Civil Defence crew completed the tall order in 52 minutes and 30 seconds, while wearing firefighting gear, including an oxygen cylinder, weighing 15 kilograms in total.
The towering achievement not only secured a place in the Guinness World Records, but served to highlight how Dubai's firefighters are ready and able to answer the call in emergency situations such as blazes at high-rise towers.
Last month, Dubai Civil Defence units arrived at the scene within six minutes to tackle a fire at a residential building in Al Barsha.
About 150 people fled the 14-storey Saleh Bin Lahej building, near Mall of the Emirates, after fire broke out at about 2pm.
Tenants said lives were saved as many children, mothers and nannies had just returned home from school and were able to leave their apartments in seconds.
The blaze was brought under control with the help of advanced firefighting drones, and no casualties were reported.
The Burj Khalifa is a record-breaker in its own right - standing as the world's tallest building at 828 metres.
Burj Khalifa - in pictures
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The Burj Khalifa construction site on April 29, 2005, in Dubai. Rabih Moghrabi / AFP -
Construction under way on Downtown Dubai and Business Bay on January, 29, 2006. Nasser Younes / AFP -
A camel handler exercises his animals along Nad Al Sheba track, in front of the Burj Khalifa Downtown Dubai construction site on April 2, 2007. Karim Sahib / AFP -
Construction is under way on Burj Khalifa in 2007. Pawan Singh / The National -
Construction under way on the very top of Burj Khalifa on December 17, 2008. Paulo Vecina / The National -
Burj Khalifa and the surrounding Downtown Dubai area still under construction during a media tour of the area on January 26, 2009. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National -
Fireworks are set off during the inauguration of Burj Khalifa on January 4, 2010. Jeff Topping / The National -
Burj Khalifa pictured on January 26, 2010, days after it opened to the public. Randi Sokoloff / The National -
Tom Cruise is filmed running along the outside of Burj Khalifa for Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol on November 5, 2010. Pawan Singh / The National -
The Downtown Dubai skyline protrudes from early morning fog on September 6, 2011. Pawel Dwulit / The National -
Burj Khalifa surrounded by fog on February 11, 2012. Jeff Topping / The National -
Visitors take photos of Burj Khalifa during the Eid holidays in Dubai on August 10, 2013. Satish Kumar / The National -
Burj Khalifa pictured from the metro on September 3, 2014. Pawan Singh / The National -
Children look at Burj Khalifa, while the lights are switched off during Earth Hour on March 28, 2015. Jeff Topping / The National -
Burj Khalifa pictured from City Walk on April 2, 2016. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National -
A full moon rises above the Burj Khalifa on August 7, 2017. Christopher Pike / The National -
Burj Khalifa lights up in the colours of Saudi Flag to celebrate the kingdom's 88th National Day on September 21, 2018. Satish Kumar for The National -
Between the 111th and 73rd floor, 11 window cleaners wash Burj Khalifa's facade on September 17, 2019. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Fireworks go off on December 31, 2020, to celebrate the New Year. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Dubai rings in 2022 with fireworks at Burj Khalifa. Photo: Dubai Media Office -
Burj Khalifa Eid Al Etihad Union Day National Day 2024. Photo: Emaar -
Fireworks light up the sky at midnight on January 1, 2024. Photo: AFP
