At least 16 killed in Dubai apartment building fire

A fire swept through an apartment building in an older neighborhood of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, killing at least 16 people and injuring another nine, authorities said Sunday.

The blaze Saturday in the Al Murar area of Dubai's historic Deira neighborhood struck a five-story apartment believed to have been shared by multiple individuals, a common practice for laborers who power the economy in this city-state known more for its towering sky scrapers. But the tight quarters, often subdivided by makeshift barriers of plywood, drywall or shower curtains, can become a major risk in fires.