- JEDDAH: A huge fire that broke out in a 50-square meter workshop complex on Sunday in an industrial neighborhood in north Jeddah gutted four shops, including a carpentry center and tire warehouse.
Ten fire fighting units from Civil Defense responded swiftly to contain the blaze and stop it from spreading to nearby facilities.
“No loss of life or injury occurred in the fire,” Director of Jeddah Civil Defense Brig. Abdullah Jeddawi said, adding investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire. He did not disclose any estimate of the damages incurred.
Jeddawi said the fire could have been stopped in its initial stages if workers in the facility had used fire extinguishers.
However, they fled when they noticed the first signs of flames, he added.
Highly flammable engine oil and tires sped up the spread of the fire.
“Workshop owners should have installed necessary safety devices and made arrangements to check their effectiveness frequently instead of leaving the matter to workers who have no training in safety matters,” the official said.
