At approximately 0010 local time on 9 February 2022 (2010 UTC on 8 February), an explosion sparked a small fire on the roof of a building located on Hamdan Street in central Abu Dhabi. Emergency crews responding to the incident immediately extinguished the fire and briefly evacuated the building as a precautionary measure. Authorities stated that the explosion originated from a defective gas cylinder. There were no reports of significant injuries or damage to the building.
Analyst Comment: The event caused alarm following initial reports that the source of the explosion may have been a possible missile strike on the building. Local authorities subsequently stated that it was a gas cylinder explosion. However, concerns exist regarding likely future missile and armed drone attacks targeting Abu Dhabi in view of such projectiles having been launched toward the city in recent weeks. Travelers in Abu Dhabi should be aware that even minor incidents can cause panic due to the currently heightened tensions
