Massive fireworks blast in Dubai kills 2

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CNN) -- Two people were killed Wednesday after an explosion and massive fire at a fireworks warehouse in Dubai, authorities said.

Two other people were injured in the explosion, which occurred around 7:50 a.m. local time and sent a huge plume of smoke high into the sky, said United Arab Emirates deputy interior minister General Saif Al Sha'far.

The fire spread to 81 warehouses before firefighters contained it, he said.

An initial investigation indicated that the fireworks were smuggled into the country illegally, Al Sha'far said.

An insurance broker estimated that the fire would cause more than $200 million in damage.

"Fire spread really quickly and the sun disappeared behind terrible smoke," The Associated Press reported Sunber Raj, an Indian laborer, as saying.

Authorities said one person was killed in the explosion, AP reported, and officials at nearby Rashid hospital said a second person died later from his injuries.

Agencies have added that the area is also home to shopping malls, labor camps for overseas workers and factories. See the aftermath of the explosion. »

Dubai is one of seven emirates, or states, that make up the oil-rich Persian Gulf nation of the United Arab Emirates. E-mail to a friend

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