- JEDDAH: Director of Civil Defense in Jeddah Brig.
- Abdullah Jiddawi would not confirm or deny whether fires that have destroyed a number of buildings in the historical old Jeddah area have been deliberate or accidental.
"I do not want to throw accusations randomly on anyone for deliberately lighting the fires. At the same time I do not want to acquit the fires from the accusation of being manmade," Jiddawi told Al-Madinah newspaper.
He said the Civil Defense is carrying out investigations using all available resources to ascertain the real causes of the fires.
Recent fires destroyed seven buildings in the area of which three subsequently collapsed.
Jiddawi said he expects fires to increase in the city during the summer because of the "soaring heat and inadequate safety measures."