Minor delays caused by Jebel Ali fire
Cargo operations at the Port of Jebel Ali in Dubai returned to normal Monday after a warehouse fire in the adjoining duty-free logistics park.
Terminal operator Dubai Ports World said it stopped handling cargo at two main terminals and its container yard, and evacuated workers in the path of the smoke. It said the smoke turned out to be non-toxic and work resumed in the afternoon. But news reports from the area stated that the fire broke out in warehouse containing hazardous chemicals. No cause of the fire has been determined yet, officials said.
The stoppage has not had a significant impact on loading or unloading of cargo at the port, the state-owned terminal operator said.
Jebel Ali is the largest port complex in the Middle East.
The fire is the second to hit a United Arab Emirates port in recent weeks, news agencies said. On Aug. 18, a fire broke out in a lubricants warehouse at Port Khalid in the emirate of Sharjah. The warehouse was destroyed.