JEDDAH, 16 April 2007 — The Civil Defense Department has closed down seven commercial shops that continuously failed to meet safety standards in the Al-Sawarikh Market located in south Jeddah.
The shops were closed down after they refused to respond to a number of warnings by the department. The stalls were said to be dangerous to the people working there and in neighboring shops, Civil Defense officials said yesterday.
Officials have warned another 34 shops at the same market to meet safety regulations or face closure.
Brig. Gen. Muhammad Al-Ghamdi, head of the Civil Defense Department in Jeddah, said, “Shops that fail to follow the set Civil Defense safety rules and regulations will not be dealt with lightly because of the dangers that they put themselves and others in.”
