Civil Defense rescuers look for victims trapped inside the debris of the fire-hit house in Al-Rabwah area of north Jeddah Sunday night. (Inset) Abdullah Al-Sebaee who was killed during the firefighting operation. — Okaz photos Ibrahim Alawi & Amr Salam Okaz/Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH — A Civil Defense firefighter died while another was injured on Sunday night as they tackled a fire that broke out in a two-story house at north Jeddah's Al-Rabwah neighborhood. Civil Defense spokesman Col. Saeed Sarhan said five rescue teams were dispatched to the neighborhood where the blaze started. When the teams arrived, eyewitnesses told firefighters that there were people trapped inside, the spokesman added. While firefighters were battling the fire inside the house, the second floor collapsed on them, trapping Abdullah Al-Sebaee under the rubble. Sarhan said the teams had to use special vehicles to locate him but he was found dead under the rubble because a concrete block had fallen on him, killing him instantly. Haitham Al-Ghamdi, who was also trapped and injured under the rubble, was freed by his colleagues and rushed to hospital. He is said to be in a good condition. Interior Minister Prince Muhammad Bin Naif gave directives that Al-Sebaee's family be paid compensation for his sacrifice and putting his life on the line. Prince Muhammad ordered that Al-Sebaee's family be taken care of as well, according to the spokesman. A number of people in the neighborhood praised firefighters who entered the building without hesitation to do their duties. Dr. Abdullah Aloosh, acting director of King Fahd Hospital in Jeddah, said one of the firefighters sustained cuts in the scalp and second-degree burns as well as some cuts in the right knee. The Saudi Red Crescent Authority's team treated four cases at the scene. The house was in a decrepit condition and the owner did not have any construction licenses, which means the structure was built illegally, sources told Okaz/Saudi Gazette. It did not have foundation pillars built of concrete and that is why it collapsed quickly, the sources added. Jeddah Governor Prince Mishal Bin Majed was following up developments related to the accident. He called Al-Ghamdi and offered his condolences to Al-Sebaee's family.
