JEDDAH: The Civil Defense has urged Jeddah Municipality to close down several community halls and rest areas in parts of the city because they are a danger to public health.

In a report, the Civil Defense stated that it would seek to close these places if their owners do not take action to correct deficiencies that violate local and international safety standards, a local publication reported recently.

These buildings, it said, do not comply with construction and safety regulations, besides having no operational licenses. Some had licenses that allowed the municipality to collect fees from them.

In addition, many of the buildings were constructed poorly and from substandard material, which were already showing signs of cracking and other defects.

The report said that it was hard for Civil Defense vehicles to reach these buildings because they were erected in narrow streets; and did not have emergency exits. This was a serious matter they were used to have community events for men, women and children.

The Civil Defense recently highlighted the dangers posed by fires in various districts in Jeddah because of poor safety measures. A spokesman of the body in Makkah said the number of fires in the east and south of Jeddah, including workshops in Kilo 8, are caused by mishandling waste and garbage.

According to Saudi Aramco, almost 3,000 accidents happen every year because of fires, with 7,915 caused by children and around 10,453 from short circuits. Over SR210 million is spent each year on accidents caused by fires.