conditioner caught fire in the First Elementary School for Girls in Old Bahrah, prompting the safe evacuation of 371 students here on Wednesday. Major Ali Al-Muntashiris, spokesman for the Civil Defense in Makkah Region, said a short circuit in the air conditioning unit was the cause of the fire. A recent spate of fires in girls' schools has led to warnings about a lack of safety conditions and poor maintenance of wiring and air-conditioning units across the schools in the Kingdom. Earlier this week, Lt. Hamad Al-Juaid, chief of Civil Defense in Eastern Province, said the girls' schools have shown gross neglect for the basic safety measures. – Okaz __
