Grand Mosque crane numbers down to 13

SAFETY MUST: At the height of expansion work at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, there were 60 cranes. Now there are only 13.

JEDDAH: The Civil Defense has reduced the number of cranes at the Grand Mosque from 60 to 13, and deployed field teams and safety patrols to follow up on safety requirements at ongoing projects.
A team of 750 people and 32 officers has been assigned to support the Grand Mosque, as part of preparations for Ramadan. There are similar arrangements being put in place at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, a local publication reported.
At a press conference on Wednesday in Makkah, Maj. Gen. Salim bin Marzouq Al-Matrafi, director of the Civil Defense in the city, and other officials explained the safety plans for visitors and pilgrims, which include awareness programs on social media.
As for the risk of fires, Al-Matrafi said all housing facilities are subject to stringent safety requirements, which were established and are being monitored in coordination with the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage.
The Civil Defense will also be using volunteers to support efforts, with 13 seasonal centers set up to cover all areas of Makkah. There will be additional staff deployed on busy days, including Fridays and the Night of Power during Ramadan.
According to Brig. Ahmed Al-Dulewi, head of the Civil Defense’s general administration, the plan includes a focus on certain locations, organization of human resources, inspection of facilities, and training of fire and rapid intervention teams. He said all cranes have been inspected to ensure they do not pose any danger to pilgrims.
During last year’s Haj season, a crane toppled over crashing onto the mataf, the circumambulation area around the Kaaba, killing 111 people and injuring 394. Saudi Arabia’s Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution in Jeddah found five top technical and engineering officials guilty of negligence, according to reports.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman had sanctioned the Binladin Group over the collapse of the construction crane, with the firm’s executives forbidden from leaving the Kingdom, and with the company excluded from new public projects. However, this ban was lifted earlier this year to allow the construction giant to pay workers unpaid salaries.