Abu Dhabi says building fire caused by gas cylinder blast

Civil defence teams in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi said they put out a fire caused by a gas cylinder explosion early on Wednesday, while the U.S. embassy issued a warning of “reports of a possible missile or drone strike”, Reuters reported.

The United Arab Emirates has in recent weeks faced mostly foiled attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement. It was not clear if the reports cited by the embassy were linked to the fire.

According to Reuters the recent attacks on the regional hub, which prizes its reputation as a safe business and tourism destination, have caused some anxiety among residents. The civil defence authority on Wednesday asked the public to follow only official news sources and to avoid spreading rumours.

UAE authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment and the U.S. embassy could not immediately be reached. Houthi-run media have not claimed any new attack, Reuters reported.

Abu Dhabi civil defence said it received a report of a fire at 12:09 a.m. (2009 GMT) caused by a gas cylinder explosion in a building in a central residential area. It said there were no casualties.

“Specialized teams extinguished the fire, evacuated the building as a precaution and controlled the situation,” the civil defence authority said in a statement on state media.

The Houthi movement, which is battling a Saudi-led coalition that includes the UAE, has claimed three attacks on the UAE, one on a fuel depot in Abu Dhabi that killed three people on Jan. 17 and two that Emirati authorities said had been intercepted, Reuters reported.

A fourth attack involving drones that the UAE said were intercepted was claimed by a little-known group.

The United States and France have said they would help boost the defence capabilities of the Western ally, read the report.