JEDDAH, 6 October 2005 — An old four-story building in Jeddah’s historic district collapsed yesterday, obstructing traffic and affecting business. However, nobody was killed or injured.
Sami Nawar, supervisor of the department for the protection of the historic area, said his department had closed the building some time ago. “We also closed the street in front of the building as a precautionary measure.”
The Civil Defense Department’s rescue teams and firefighters rushed to the site soon after the collapse and took measures to prevent further damage.
There are about 500 old buildings in Jeddah’s historic district and many are in very bad repair. Residents of the district as well as others interested in the city’s history called upon authorities to speed up renovations of the historic district in order to protect the rich heritage.
“These historic buildings will become only memories if quick action is not taken to preserve them,” one Saudi pointed out.
