A Newspaper Photographer, Dennis Borja Mallari, Who trapped In 48th Floor Of 63 Storey Buildimg Speaks Of His Ordeal

A newspaper photographer who was trapped for two hours on a 48th-floor balcony when a massive fire engulfed a Dubai hotel has spoken of his ordeal.

Dennis Mallari was in place to capture breathtaking snaps of the

midnight fireworks display from the Address Downtown Hotel. 

However, when the inferno took hold his exits were cut off and he was left with no option but to negotiate his own escape. 

He retreated to a tiny corner of his balcony and began repelling down the outside of the 63-storey building on a window-cleaner's cable after being stranded for two hours.

As he started to descend, he was met by firefighters who pulled him back over his room's balcony before escorting him down the fire escape. 

Mr Mallari, originally from the Philippines, used his camera to capture footage of the flames as he dangled on the outside of the building. 

He continued to film as he was led down the smoke-filled stairwell towards the safety of the ground floor.

At least 60 people were injured and one person suffered a heart attack as they rushed to escape the tower on New Year's Eve.

The skyscraper was overcome by flames so quickly that some guests said they fled for their lives before any fire alarms sounded.

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Mallari said he was 'still shaking from the dramatic experience'. 

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