Huge fire breaks out in Qatar near World Cup fan village
A huge fire broke out on Saturday in the city of Lusail in Qatar, with thick plumes of black smoke rising into the sky near one of the World Cup fan villages.
Footage showed the roof of a building ablaze near the fan village called Qetaifan Island North. Authorities said the fire started just after noon local time on an island that’s part of the city.
The blaze was about two miles from Lusail Stadium. It sent thick black smoke into the sky, which was visible from a marketplace in central Doha as World Cup fans milled among its shops and restaurants.
The stadium is hosting several games during the tournament, including a match between Argentina and Mexico late on Saturday.
Qatar’s Ministry of Interior said the Civil Defence had the fire under control “without casualties”.
Lusail was fast tracked for construction after Qatar won the rights to host the World Cup in 2010 and has attracted billions in investment from Qatar’s $450bn sovereign wealth fund.
It’s located north of capital city Doha’s West Bay and has been designed with the thousands of World Cup tourists in mind with 22 new hotels and other attractions such as a theme park.
The fan village consists of a sea of 1,800 tents, along with communal bathing facilities.
Additional reporting by agencies
