Nassima Royal Hotel after the accident. Photo by Sarakshi Rai Nassima Royal Hotel after the accident. Photo by Sarakshi Rai

Bad weather conditions saw a crane crash down at Nassima Royal Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road, that resulted in a fiery scene and destroyed the hotel's frontage.

Last weekend saw temperatures drop down to -2oC, strong winds and even snow in some parts of the UAE.

Over the course of the day (Friday, February 3), the weather took a turn for the worse with the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) reporting that winds in Dubai reached speeds of 55 kmph at about 2pm. The subsequent crane crash resulted in the spread of debris that included glass shards all over Sheikh Zayed Road and the Dubai Metro tracks.

When contacted by Hotelier Middle East, a public relations officer for Nassima Royal Hotel did not comment and said: "Thank you for your enquiry. We are working on putting all the details together."

Falling debris from the crane also caused damage to four vehicles parked outside the hotel, two of which caught fire. Part of the crane’s jib section landed on an elevated portion of Dubai Metro, according to Construction Week Online.

One guest told local newspaper The National: "I was actually coming back from the mall because I wanted to stay home with this weather today. The roads aren’t safe and cars are just being blown by the wind. It’s not weather to be outside."

The accident caused long tailbacks on Sheikh Zayed road and the Dubai Media Office advised drivers to use alternative routes to avoid traffic.

Dubai Media Office released a statement saying: "Authorities are handling the situation to ensure the safety of everyone on site, and have closed off the area for safety reasons." 

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RTA Dubai had to halt metro operation between Jafiliya and Business Bay metro station as a precautionary measure due to the crane incident.

Temperatures reached a low of -2.2°C at Jebal Jais in Ras Al Khaimah