Residents slowly returning to The Torch after weekend fire

More than a thousand residents were evacuated after the blaze broke out around 2am on Saturday.

Damage to the residential Torch Tower in Dubai Marina after the fire was extinguished. Courtesy Warren Little / Getty Images

DUBAI // Residents have started returning to their homes in The Torch tower which was damaged by fire at the weekend.

More than a thousand people were removed from the building after fire broke out at around 2am on Saturday in one of the tallest residential buildings in the world, located in Dubai Marina.

Select Group said residents of the tower were progressively being allowed back in by the authorities.

“Although the incredibly strong winds fanned the fire, the building’s fire safety systems and evacuation protocols worked as planned,” read a statement by Select Group, the tower developer. “The fire was swiftly brought under control.”

“Representatives of Select Group were present on site since news of the incident broke out in the early hours of the morning,” read the statement. “The first concern was providing any support required to Kingfield Owner Association, [the management company], and the authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of the residents and their families.”

Although no casualties were reported, the exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined by Dubai Civil Defence.

“Kingfield Owner Association Management Services has arranged for temporary shelter and provisions for residents in the adjacent Princess Tower,” read a statement by the owner association, which set up a support centre on the 97th floor of Princess Tower. “The main focus at this time is to ensure that all residents are safe and looked after while we also assist in arrangements for alternative accommodation for those whose apartments have been affected.”

The Torch was handed over in the summer of 2011. Select Group reiterated its commitment to upholding strict standards for safety protocols in all of its developments.