1,521 fire rescue operations in Makkah

Brig. Khalaf Al-Mutrafi, director of Civil Defense in Makkah, has said that fire incidents may occur at any time and season and for different reasons including electricity short-circuits, tampering with appliances, high temperatures, poor maintenance of equipment or negligence during cooking.
"There have been 1,521 rescue operations over the past six months, during which our department cooperated with the Traffic department," he was quoted as saying to a local newspaper.
He said inspection of buildings are carried out all year round and their frequency is increased during the Ramadan and Haj seasons and the summer vacation.
"Rapid intervention forces will be stationed at places of worship and tourism," he said, noting that all facilities that places that are rented to worshipers or frequented by visitors, such as hotels, furnished apartments, malls, shopping centers and festival grounds, are required to recruit safety and maintenance experts.
He said inspection tours of such locations and facilities resulted in unveiling safety-related violations of storage places and warehouses, and added that "necessary procedures were taken in this regard."
He pointed out that his department conducts around 300 field inspection visits to all lodging entities and shopping centers.