Wedding hall fire in Makkah causes panic By Hatim Al-Mas'oudi Okaz/Saudi Gazette MAKKAH — Civil Defense and Red Crescent rescue teams evacuated about 350 women and children from a wedding hall in Al-Mu'aissim District after a fire broke out in one of its sections, Wednesday night. Panic broke out in the wedding hall and several slightly injured women were rushed to nearby hospitals where they were given first aid. Vigilant firefighting teams controlled the flames and prevented the fire from spreading to other parts of the wedding hall. Security patrols prevented inquisitive onlookers from gathering and hindering the rescue operations after several women were forced to flee in panic abandoning their abayas. Lt. Col. Ali Al-Muntashiri, Makkah Civil Defense spokesman said firefighting and rescue teams rushed to the scene of the fire as soon as a report was received in the Operations Room. “Thick dark smoke billowed into different parts of the wedding hall, but the fire was controlled in a short time,” he said. There were no significant injuries among the guests, he added. Minor cases of suffocation were immediately treated in the hospital, the spokesman added. Al-Muntashiri said investigations were still continuing to determine the cause of the fire. Sources inside the wedding hall said the fire broke out when the bride and other relatives were welcoming the guests. __
