RIYADH: Minister of Culture and Information Adel Al-Toraifi set up a committee on Thursday to look into the cause of a fire that broke out in one of his ministry buildings in the heart of the capital on Wednesday.

The committee is also expected to make its recommendations to prevent such recurrences.

The minister thanked the Civil Defense team and the Saudi Red Crescent Authority which came to the location and helped douse the fire, and take victims to the nearest hospital.

Spokesman of the Ministry of Culture and Information Saud bin Saleh Al-Katib said the fire could have broken out due to a short circuit in one of the electrical cables in a room in the basement which emitted columns of smoke to the adjoining TV station. “The fire was brought under control in a short period of time with the help of the Civil Defense,” Al-Katib said.

According to informed sources, the broadcast of the cultural and economic channels were temporarily transferred to studios in Jeddah to ensure continuity of the telecast.

Abdullah Al-Miribidh, spokesman for Saudi Red Crescent Authority, said that eight people suffered from suffocation due to thick smoke and six of them were given first-aid on the spot, while two of them were sent to the King Abdulaziz Medical Complex (Shumaisi Hospital ) for further treatment. The two patients are now out of danger, according to sources.

Civil Defense spokesman in Riyadh Maj. Mohammed Al-Hammadi said that his office received the message at 10:36 a.m. on Wednesday and his team rushed to the spot immediately.

“It was a limited fire confined to the basement of the building,” he said, adding that there were no deaths or people with serious injuries.