Samir Al-Saadi
 Fire engulfs a building in Jeddah’s historical Harrat Al-Madhloum area in the Al-Balad district. (AN photo by Abdallah Bazuhair) |
Civil defense officials said that the woman, whose name has not been released, jumped off the top of the building to escape the flames. They said she was in her 20s. Three men and an infant girl were also reportedly injured. The injured, who are said to have inhaled smoke fumes, suffered broken bones and were taken to the King Abdul Aziz Hospital. All of them are listed critical.
Witnesses said they saw other residents jumping off the building. “I saw a man hanging on to a window from outside,” said Abdullah, a Yemeni national who witnessed the fire.
Civil defense officials said that on arrival they found the building engulfed in flames and that the fire had spread to two adjacent buildings. The extensive use of wood in the construction of the buildings contributed to the speed at which the fire spread, said a civil defense official.
The civil defense had sent 13 fire teams and four ambulances were seen at the scene. The building was also on the verge of collapse. Officials are investigating the cause of the fire. Local residents who had knowledge of exits and entrances to the buildings assisted the firefighters in their work.
At 11 p.m. the fire appeared to be under control with firefighters working hard to extinguish fires erupting from the burning debris. Police were also deployed in the area to control traffic and the large crowds that had gathered in the area.
The old Balad area is one of the historical areas of Jeddah, which the government is keen on preserving.
Source: Arab News, June24, 2007