JEDDAH, 26 May 2005 — A large fire broke out in a warehouse in the industrial area in southern Jeddah Tuesday morning.
The fire burned for more than three hours before firefighters could bring it under control. The losses were estimated to be well into the millions of riyals.
After receiving the call about 6 a.m., the Jeddah fire department dispatched 19 firefighting teams and two helicopters to the scene to put out the blaze.
According to a fire department official, the warehouse contained plastic materials and ammonia, both of which are highly flammable.
He pointed out that the warehouse had fulfilled the necessary safety requirements. He added that there was no one on duty at the warehouse when the fire started. Officials said the fire may have been due to an electrical fault.
