Dennis Mallari was trapped inside the 63-storey Address Downtown Hotel in Dubai when it burst into flames on New Year's Eve.
The photojournalist, 37, was on his 48th-floor balcony waiting to film the fireworks scheduled for midnight. He couldn't get back inside to escape and posted on Facebook for help, CNN reported.
Then Mallari started filming the flames and the city lights below. (Watch video above.)
After two hours of being trapped, he decided to use a window-washer cable to rappel to safety, according to CNN.
But just as he was about to go over the edge, a firefighter found him and led him down a smoke-filled stairwell to safety.
The photographer later posted a picture on Facebook of himself wearing an oxygen mask, otherwise unharmed.
Then, like a true professional, he capped the night by photographing the fireworks display outside the world's tallest building as planned.
No one was killed in the fire, but dozens were taken to hospital after evacuations, Reuters reported.
