(CNN)Firefighters battled a massive blaze that engulfed a luxury hotel in Dubai Thursday night while a spectacular New Year's fireworks display lit up the night sky nearby.

Video shows orange tentacles of flames engulfing a large section of the the high-end Address hotel for hours after the fire broke out. Witnesses told CNN they heard explosions.

Early reports from Dubai authorities said the fire started on the 20th floor of the 63-floor hotel. Jaqueline Hurtado, a CNN en Español correspondent, said she was at a restaurant in the area when she heard an explosion, "like a loud pop," and thought the fireworks display may have started early.

She and others noticed flames at the hotel, and were soon evacuated from the area.

"That fire was big. The fire was just going so fast," she said. "It just started burning real quick."

Yes, watching it now too

Saw it on tv.