A large team of firefighters was called to tackle a huge fire that erupted at Ice Land theme park in north Jeddah Thursday night. When the fire tore through the back of the center, fire alarms went off causing people to panic and rush out through fire exit doors. The theme park was evacuated within an hour after the fire broke out. The fire was caused by short circuit at the electricity room at the back of the center, the Civil Defense said. One woman was said to have suffered breathing difficulties. She was immediately transferred to Salam Hospital where she received oxygen support. She was in a stable condition. Other people suffered mild suffocation and were treated by the Red Crescent at the scene. Nassar Hussain, Ice Land manager, told Saudi Gazette that no one was seriously injured, saying that it was an electricity problem that started the fire in a room outside the center itself. Hussain said that Ice Land center would remain closed until maintenance work has been completed Fahad Hinawi, a security man who witnessed the scene, said that the fire did not reach the heart of the entertainment center where people gathered. But it shattered the glass at Shami restaurant, allowing a heavy cloud of smoke to blanket the center inside, which in turn increased visitors' fear of asphyxia. The fire also caused panic among the families who sent their children to the park, causing them to rush to the scene overcrowding the area. Police officers blocked the ways leading to Ice Land in order to give way to the vehicles of rescue teams and ward off onlookers. Dr. Suhail Al-Aklouk, who was on duty at King Fahd Hospital, said that the hospital was alerted to the accident and was prepared to receive the injured, but they received no cases, he said. A shop owner at Ice Land, who was present when the fire broke out, said that the visitors started screaming upon hearing the fire alarms and smelling the smoke. “Most of them were women and kids rushing out for their lives,” he said. “They all appeared wrapped up in fear,” he added. “I started to tell them it was only a cooking smell coming from the nearby restaurant to calm them down,” he said. Abner Fanatunles, a Pizza Hut worker at Ice Land, was picking up food from their restaurant on Friday. He said there was no power to turn on the fridges to keep the food in good condition. “We are carrying the food to another branch until maintenance work has been over,” he said. It would take at least a week for Ice Land to be up and running again, he was told by the administration. Other shop owners and employees were also there collecting their belongings from inside the center Friday noon. Ibrahim Al-Saad, a banker, was there looking for his baby's stroller. He said his wife forgot the stroller inside when she fled the fire with the baby in her hands. __
