20 pilgrims killed in hotel collapse in Mecca
Saudi Arabia-Regional, Local, 1/6/2006

The number of pilgrims killed in the collapse of Lou'louat al-Kheir" (the pearl of the good) hotel in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, increased at least 20, while other 59 were reported as injured at a time when scores of rescue men continued their attempts to find survivors from the incident which comes three days before the beginning of traditional al-Haj Islamic rituals.

The rescue teams used one helicopter and evacuated two buildings situated on the side of the hotel, and the Saudi authorities formed an investigation committee into the incident.

The spokesman for the Saudi ministry of interior Lt. Gen. Mansour al-Turkey said that the rescue teams continued until late night Thursday searching for survivors from under the ruins of the hotel of 6 floors which is 30 years old in Mecca and is situated in a crowded quarters, jut scores of meters far from the Mecca's Haram.

An earlier Saudi accounting said that 18 were killed and 49 injured while the chairman of the Council For The Representative Of The Islamic Religion in Alb Coute De' Zoure in southern east France, Abdul Rahman al-Ghoule, said he counted 23 bodies and 80 injured pilgrims in the collapse which came after a fire. He said that many people were inside praying because it was prayers time, but most of the death were outside."

The killed pilgrims are from various countries including Egypt, Tunisia, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates.

Every year the pilgrims season witnesses several incidents, especially during the stoning of devil ritual. The largest of these incidents was in 1990 when 1426 pilgrims were killed. In 2004 some 250 pilgrims were killed in a stampede on al-Jamart bridge in the third day of al-Haj ritual, and the Saudi authorities prevented the pilgrims from sitting on the ground there this year.

Previous Stories:
  Saudi Arabia: al-Adha holiday is on January 10th   (1/2/2006)
  Half million pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia   (12/26/2005)
  8 killed among pilgrims following flash floods   (1/25/2005)
  Riyadh holds pilgrims lack of calm responsible for Mona incident   (2/5/2004)
  Because of shoving in the first days of the Eid, some 244 pilgrims die at al-Jamra throwing at al-Aqaba   (2/2/2004)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search