JEDDAH: The Civil Defense is investigating the cause of Saturday’s fire in a hotel close to the Grand Mosque in Makkah, in which three members of the rescue team were injured while as many as 500 people were evacuated.

Col. Said Sarhan, spokesman for Civil Defense in Makkah, said the three members of the Civil Defense and General Security suffered minor injuries and that they were taken to hospital with the help of Red Crescent.

He said that the Civil Defense control room in Makkah received a complaint at 3:17 a.m. about the fire on the second floor of a hotel in the central area of the city. “Soon after getting the information, the teams of fire brigade and rescue were rushed the site and security agencies and other departments were informed.”

Sarhan said that 500 workers, visitors, pilgrims and shoppers were evacuated from the second floor by the rescue teams. The fire started in the fumes suction system in the baking area and spread to the ceiling, resulting in thick fumes covering parts of the second floor, he said.

The fire was controlled by an automatic sprinkling system and the fumes were cleared through an air suction system, he said.

Sarhan said departments of the Civil Defense disconnected the electricity supply to the affected area soon after the fire broke out.