Khatarish and Muhamamd Kadoumi JAZAN – Minister of Health Khaled Al-Falih said that the ministry owns the responsibility for the blaze that swept through the Jazan General Hospital, killing 24 people and injuring scores of others on Dec. 24. He also announced the sacking of Dr. Ahmad Al-Sahli, director of the health department in Jazan region, and some other officials for dereliction of duty in connection with the fire. Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Falih said the investigation report showed that the fire was caused by short circuit and there was no foul play in the mishap. The committee that probed the incident found that there were serious engineering errors in the designing of the hospital building and its safety systems. The minister said the hospital staff managed to evacuate all the inpatients from the first floor but heavy smoke engulfed the upper floors which caused casualties. The probe team detected that materials used in the construction of the hospital building's ceiling were not meeting the required standards and specifications, and that resulted in the intensity of fire. The Styrofoam used in the ceiling of the building was a major reason for the spread of the blaze. The defective oxygen tube connections, improper insulation system, lack of maintenance of the fire warning systems, and some other defects were also found, the minister added. Al-Falih visited the family of Saudi woman Jameela Al-Feefi and her daughter Safiyah Al-Feefi who died in the fire, and offered condolences on behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman to the bereaved families of the two and others killed in the fire.
