Fahd Al-Menaee Saudi Gazette MAKKAH – Three firefighting teams from the Civil Defense controlled a small fire that broke out on Saturday at a used furniture market in Al-Moaisim District in Makkah. No one was injured. According to Col. Ali Al-Montashiri, the fire started in the garbage and waste material area near the market. Makkah Civil Defense, Al-Sharayeh Municipality, and the investor of Al-Moaisim used furniture market are disputing who is responsible for removing refuse near the market. Brig. Jameel Arbaeen, director of Makkah Civil Defense, called upon stores in the market to remove inflammable materials and dispose of garbage accumulated outside the stores. He said most workers are not aware of the dangers caused by keeping sponge mattresses and pieces of wood near their stores. “Electricity will only be restored to the market if stores satisfy all our safety requirements and get rid of garbage and waste material nearby the market," he said. Firefighters from the Civil Defense battled six blazes this year, in the same area. The latest fire caused financial losses of nearly SR1,000,000. Civil Defense is still investigating the cause of this fire.
