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". The United Arab Emirates has in recent weeks faced mostly foiled attacks by Yemen's Houthi movement.

Civil defense 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".

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. 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 defense authority on Wednesday asked the public to follow only official news sources and to avoid spreading rumors.

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. Abu Dhabi civil defense 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 defense 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.

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 defense capabilities of the Western ally.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)