RIYADH: The General Directorate of Civil Defense in Riyadh has warned citizens and residents against overloading electricity during the summer season to avoid dangers that may occur due to rising temperatures.

The Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) has forecast the rising temperature in northern central and eastern parts of the Kingdom.

Spokesman of Civil Defense in the region Major Mohammed Al-Hammadi has urged everyone to follow preventive safety guidelines to make sure of the device’s voltage, and that electrical circuits are provided with suitable breakers; in addition, people should not overload their sockets, and they should use good electrical connectors.

He added that unnecessary air-conditioning units should be switched off; all electrical appliances should be disconnected before going to sleep, and exhaust fans should not be left operating continuously, “as such practices will overheat the wires and cause fires.”

He also called on the owners of vehicles to get ready for the summer season by checking their vehicles in order to curb overheating, which may lead to fires while the vehicle is in motion.

He stressed the need to turn off all electrical appliances at home besides closing gas cylinders and keep them away from direct sunlight before leaving home, especially when traveling, in addition to taking preventive measures that would save lives and property.

Last year, during summer, five expats died after a blaze in a housing unit in Riyadh. Saudi Red Crescent’s Abdullah Al-Meraibed said ambulances were dispatched to the location in Al-Nadheem District, in the east of the capital. Al-Meraibed stated the five individuals died of smoke inhalation. The injured were taken to the National Guard Hospital in Riyadh.

On Wednesday, the Civil Defense teams were able to extinguish a fire that broke out in a row of shops in Makkah.

The fire gutted five stores in a suburb of the holy city before firefighters were able to put it out, preventing it from spreading to another 300 units.

Col. Saeed Sarhan, spokesman of Civil Defense in the Makkah region, said there were no deaths or injuries as a result of the incident.

On Sunday, Civil Defense personnel fought for hours to bring a hotel fire under control in Makkah’s Aziziah neighborhood. Palm trees near the 10-story hotel caught fire and the flames spread to the building. There was no loss of life or injuries in the blaze.