391 Indian pilgrims evacuated after fire

MAKKAH — About 390 Indian pilgrims had to be evacuated to safe areas after fire broke out in their building in Al-Aziziyah District here on Tuesday.

No casualties reported.

A mobile charger is believed to be reason behind short circuit that caused the fire, according to sources.

“Fire erupted in a room on the seventh floor of the building. As a precautionary measure we have evacuated 391



pilgrims from the building,” Capt. Naif Al Sharif, spokesperson of Civil Defense in Makkah, said in a statement. “The Civil Defense forces successfully contained the fire and no one was injured,” he added.

The building housed mostly pilgrims from the northeastern Indian state of Assam.

Shahid Alam, Indian consul for Haj, described it as a minor incident which did not have any impact on pilgrims.