Makkah police arrest Yemeni and Egyptian suspects of fake Hajj campaign    400-800 year old giant coral colony discovered within AMAALA waters in the Red Sea    HR Ministry launches 'Ajeer Al-Hajj' service for seasonal work during Hajj 2025    Kafalah grants 1,900 loan guarantees worth over SR4.8 billion to SMEs during 1Q 2025    Council of Senior Scholars reaffirms performing Hajj without a permit is a sinful act    Syria thanks Saudi Arabia and Qatar for settling World Bank dues    King and Crown Prince offer condolence to Iranian president over the deadly port explosion    stc reports strong first-quarter 2025 results with 11% rise in net profit    Virgin Atlantic celebrates one month of nonstop service between London and Riyadh    Saudi Awwal Bank records SR2.1 billion net profit after zakat and income tax for 1Q25    Mahmoud Abbas appoints Hussein Al-Sheikh as PLO vice president in key succession move    Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia offers condolences to Iran following deadly Bandar Abbas port explosion    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



House in historic Jeddah collapses, 4 rescued from rubble
IBRAHIM ALAWI
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 10 - 04 - 2011

JEDDAH: Four persons were rescued from the rubble of a 150-year-old house in Old Jeddah that collapsed all of a sudden Friday night.
The four expatriates were trapped for six hours after the floor of the upper apartment of the three-story building collapsed onto the four-by-four meter shop on its ground floor.
The Civil Defense cordoned off the site and began removing debris in search of the four, and local press reported that Prince Mish'al Bin Majed, Governor of Jeddah, and Hani Abu Ras, Mayor of Jeddah, were in continual contact with emergency services during the rescue operations.
When the four were located they were provided with oxygen and taken to hospital by ambulance.
One of the rescued persons, a Pakistani man, later said that he had suffered no serious injuries.
“I've spoken to family and relatives back home to reassure them that I'm okay,” he said.
Okaz/Saudi Gazette also spoke to the owner of the building, who said he had approached the Jeddah Mayoralty 25 years ago to have the 150-year-old building demolished and rebuilt anew, but that his request was turned down.
“The person who had been living in the third-floor apartment which collapsed left it without warning two years ago, leaving his belongings inside,” he said. “I tried to locate him, but couldn't find him.”
The state of buildings in the Al-Balad District - now officially known as Historic Jeddah - and neighboring areas, has been of increasing concern to authorities.
Last year the Mayor's Office tasked an engineering firm to perform architectural surveys on some 1,000 old buildings feared vulnerable to collapse in the zone.
A municipality official said at the time that a failure on the part of building owners to perform repairs and maintenance was the main cause of their state of dilapidation. He said the mayoralty places stickers on old buildings advising owners to contact the authorities immediately.
“Sometimes the stickers are ignored, and sometimes simply removed,” he told Okaz/Saudi Gazette. “We have informed building owners of the danger to their tenants, as many of the structures are liable to collapse at any time, but most of them do not take the issue seriously enough.”
The poor response is further complicated by ownership issues, with some buildings belonging to Saudis, some to foreigners, and others of which owners are unknown.
“We have tried many times to locate the owners of those buildings, but have been unsuccessful,” he said.


Clic here to read the story from its source.