A FIRE SPREAD TO THE UNDERGROUND AND FIRST FLOOR OF A BUILDING FULL OF PILGRIMS IN MAKKAH TONIGHT, WITH16 PILGRIMS BEING RUSHED TO HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT AFTER SMOKE INHALATION. IN A STATEMENT, THE OFFICIAL SECURITY SPOKESMAN OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR MAJOR GENERAL MANSOUR BIN SULTAN ALTURKI SAID CIVIL DEFENSE ON-DUTY FORCE IN MAKKAH WAS NOTIFIED AT 15:00 ON MONDAY AFTERNOON OF A FIRE BREAKING OUT AT DAR AL-GHAZA RENT-FLAT BUILDING, LOCATED ON A COMMERCIAL COMPLEX IN MAKKAH. UPON THE ARRIVAL OF THE CIVIL DEFENSE SQUAD AT THE SITE, IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE FIRE HAS SPREAD TO THE UNDERGROUND AND FIRST FLOOR, ALTURKI SAID, ADDING THAT CIVIL DEFENSE AIRCRAFT ALSO TOOK PART IN EVACUATING THE PILGRIMS WHO ASCENDED TO THE UPPER FLOORS OF THE BUILDING. THANKS TO ALLAH ALMIGHTY, THE FIRE WAS CONTROLLED AND ALL RESIDENTS WERE EVACUATED. THE SPOKESMAN SAID, ADDING THAT THE CONDITIONS OF THE AFFECTED PILGRIMS WERE STABLE. INVESTIGATION OF THE REASONS OF THE INCIDENT WAS IMMEDIATELY CONDUCTED, THE SOURCE CONCLUDED.
