Abu Dhabi’s popular Yas Island waterpark has plans to expand, despite a huge and terrifying fire that broke out on Friday. Thick black smoke could be seen for miles, and the fire broke out around 2pm local time, plummeting into the sky over Ferarri world and Yas Marina Circuit.
It’s believed the inferno started on the construction site on Yas Island, but it’s unknown what caused the fire to break out in the under-construction visitor attraction. Plans for the epic expansion were announced in December by Miral, the theme park developer, who announced a 16,900-square-metre expansion which will also include 18 new rides and attractions, as well as an additional 3.3km of slides.
It is expected to grow visitor capacity by 20%, and will bring the total number of rides to more than 60. It will also feature UAE’s tallest slide, according to GB News, which will introduce the GCC’s first waterpark ride integrated within a waterslide complex and is set for completion in 2025.
Yas Waterworld is part of Yas Island’s wider offering, which includes other attractions such as Ferrari World, Warner Bros. theme park, Clymb, Qasr Al Watan, Etihad Arena and the newly opened Seaworld Yas Island.
Now Yas Waterworld has officially confirmed that full operations have resumed, and the park is ready to welcome visitors starting Saturday and throughout the Eid holiday.
“The fire, which started before noon at a construction site adjacent to Yas Waterworld, was swiftly contained by response teams, ensuring no harm to individuals or nearby structures,” Abu Dhabi authorities penned on X. Videos of the fire were posted online showing the extent of the fire.
However this alarmingly huge fire isn’t the first to hit Yas Island, back in 2017, the Yas Viceroy hotel rooftop caught on fire and residents reported seeing large plumes of smoke rising from the building.
Not only is Dubai home to the world’s tallest building and soon to be the world’s tallest waterslide, it also has the world’s deepest swimming pool. At some 200 feet deep Deep Dive Dubai, big enough to house a vast “underwater city.”
Among the exhibits that divers can discover, there’s a car, a couple of sofas, chairs, bicycles, a pool table, a massive replica tree, motorcycle, a life-sized Lego man, a library, a chess board, and even a playable foosball table.
There are 27 underwater loudspeakers, which can be used to create surround-sound experiences or, if necessary, be used to issue safety announcements.
Diving in the pool isn’t recommended for people who suffer from a fear of heights, because the sudden drop-off can lead to dangerous underwater panics, but if it all gets a bit much there are “dry chambers” at the six and 21-metre points for divers to take a breather.
The massive 27-metre-long pool holds 14 million litres of water – the equivalent of six Olympic-sized swimming pools. It’s enough water for 10 humpback whales to swim in.
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