JEDDAH, 21 July 2005 — A huge blaze broke out in the Rotana building located near the busy Palestine Street in Jeddah yesterday afternoon; losses are estimated to be in millions.
According to Fire Department officials and Rotana employees, the fire started at 2:30 p.m. and continued into the night. The first reports said that the fire was due to an electrical shortage.
“We were told to evacuate the building immediately,” said an employee outside the burning building. “We saw dense black smoke shot through with flames pouring out of the warehouse.”
The blaze was particularly intense and the smoke thick as the fire fed on plastic and paper; the warehouse contained cassettes, CDs and posters.
A Fire Department official said that the warehouse collapsed trapping the fire inside; this had the effect of keeping the fire burning till the late evening hours. “It’s nearly 8 p.m. and we still haven’t put out the fire,” said one official.
Three firefighters suffered severe burns; two had burns to their backs and another had bad hand injuries. “One of the firefighters came out running with his back caught on fire, it was a sad sight to see,” said one eyewitness.
The men were rushed to a nearby hospital.
The firefighters were injured when a number cylinders containing freon gas exploded in the warehouse. “They were lucky they weren’t killed,” said a firefighter. “Whenever one of those cylinders popped it was frightening for the rest of us,” he added.
No other causalities were reported.
