Dubai Civil Defence authorities have started work on a permanent civil defence centre at the Expo 2020 premises which is likely to be completed by mid-2019.

Meanwhile, a temporary unit is being set up at the venue, to be ready for operations in September this year, reported state news agency Wam, citing a senior official.

"The first temporary fire point at Expo 2020 Dubai will be ready for operation by September 30," said Brigadier Rashid Khalifa AlBuflasa, the assistant director-general for Fire and Rescue, at the Dubai Civil Defence.

He was speaking to the media after a visit to the Expo 2020 Dubai Office for follow-up on the progress in the implementation of the joint civil defence action plan.

The Dubai Civil Defence, he stated, had set up an emergency fire-fighting point since more than a year at the expo projects site and the force, equipment and other resources will be shifted to the temporary point at the time of delivery.

''The construction of the expo’s permanent civil defence centre will be completed by June 30, 2019,'' he added.