By Weedah Hamzah

Beirut (dpa) - A massive blaze broke out on Thursday at a five-star luxury hotel in Dubai, near to the world's tallest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa.

Photos and videos broadcast on social media showed flames engulfing multiple floors of the Address Downtown hotel, located in an area where thousands of people were gathering to watch a New Year's Eve fireworks display.

The Dubai Press Office said that the fire started at the 20th floor of the hotel before moving to the building's exterior.

Fire engines and ambulances gathered at the scene to prevent people from approaching the area, nearby witnesses said.

Dubai's Civil Defence said there were no casualties from the fire and that the New Year's Eve fireworks display will continue as scheduled.

All guests were safely evacuated, the Civil Defence added.

Witnesses in the area said electricity may have caused the blaze.

The hotel is also connected directly to the luxury Dubai Mall.