JEDDAH, 3 September 2006 — Residents of the Bani Malik district near the National Guard Housing Compound are facing a possible danger of a massive fire due to an existing chemical factory located close-by.
The factory, which is in breach of essential safety regulations, mixes asphalt with chemicals for use on airport runways and sidewalks, and is located close to residential buildings, schools and car workshops.
Local residents complain about poisonous fumes that fill the air surrounding the factory. “Most of the people living near the factory have breathing problems and suffer from lung-related illnesses caused by the fumes that come out of the factory,” said Saeed Baraheem, a local resident.
He said that the factory has been in this location for the last 15 years and despite many complaints by the residents, the factory still continues to exist. Baraheem added that in spite of an order from the Governorate of Jeddah urging the factory owners to move to a different location, abide by safety regulations and stop emission of toxic fumes, nothing has changed.
Baraheem said that he recently heard about the death of an African man who lived next to the factory. The man had died from an aggressive lung infection. “I’m sure it was caused by the fumes from the factory,” said Baraheem.
Hadi Al-Jubair, a Saudi resident in the same district, said that trucks that shift the chemicals and asphalt to and from the factory also cause huge problems. Trucks start their work every day in the early evening until early dawn and cause traffic jams and make loud noises that upset local people.
“What bothers me is that these trucks are marked with danger signs that indicate that they contain highly flammable substances. What if there was a fire? It would be a disaster,” he said.
He said that he would sign a petition with other residents of the area and send it to the Jeddah Governorate. “I would collect money from the residents and hire a lawyer if that’s what it takes to shut this death trap factory,” he said.
Ashraf Ayad, a Palestinian mechanic who works at a workshop near the factory, said he has been there for such a long time that he has got used to the fumes. “But customers who live outside the area always complain about the smell,” he said.
He said that working next to the factory he couldn’t deny being worried about his health.
“We already have flammable substances in the workshop. God forbid if a fire broke out it would be a disaster. There are many workshops close by and the fire would definitely be massive,” Ayad said.
