Building collapse kills haj pilgrims in Mecca

By Sam Knight

At least 15 Muslim pilgrims were killed and around 40 were injured today when a hostel collapsed in Mecca, three days before the official start of the haj, the pirimage which brings more than two million Muslims to the Saudi city every year.

The eight storey Luluat al-Khair hostel, which was situated close to the Grand Mosque, the holiest site in Islam, caught fire and collapsed just before the end of midday prayers. Several passers by were among the dead.

Rescue workers and fellow pilgrims used their bare hands to sift through the rubble as police sealed the street, and cranes were brought in. It was unclear how many people were under the wreckage.

Medics said that at least ten bodies had been pulled from the ruins. Local residents said as many as 30 people were believed to be in the hostel when it fell.

In the first death toll given by Saudi officials, 15 people were said to have died and 39 were reported injured. A statement from the Interior Ministry said the death toll could reach 20 and the number of wounded could reach 80.

Rescue workers and security officials at the scene said most of the victims were Arabs from Egypt, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates.

Talha al-Nizi, a Tunisian guide for pilgrims, told the Associated Press that his group were returning to their hotel, next door to the Luluat al-Khair, when the building, which had a restaurant and a grocery on the ground floor, came down at 1.10pm local time.

"As I moved to step into my hotel, the whole building collapsed in front of my eyes. The whole street was full of dust," said al-Nizi.

The haj, which all Muslims are required to perform once in their lifetime, officially begins on Sunday but more than a million pilgrims are already in Mecca, awaiting the first rites. More than 2.5 million pilgrims are expected to take part in this year's ceremonies, which are focused on the Kaaba, the black, cloth-covered stone at the centre of the Grand Mosque, which Muslims believe was built by Abraham as a house for God.

The annual gathering of pilgrims from all over the world fills Mecca with tented camps and teeming crowds. The haj has been attended by serious disasters in the past. Around 250 pilgrims died in a stampede in 2004 during the stoning of three stone pillars which symbolise the devil. More than 1,400 people died in a similar crush in 1990.

To cope with the massive numbers, Saudi authorities have ordered pilgrims to assemble in the city by midnight tonight. Some 60,000 security personnel have also been deployed in the city to manage the influx.

[Anisa]

I deleted that by accident! Allah e rahmoum Are your fam alright?

yes the one that has been in contact. and 2 other family members dad says should not be around that area.

[Anisa]

Al hamdullah... I need to check with my pops to see where my fam are staying.

yeah thats so sad.. especially when people get killed by stampedes... you would think they can organise and put inplace some sort of flow control systems...

[Anisa]

I know! So dangerous!

not so much problems for the young, but the elderly men and women are most at risk.. often if they fall thats its, its like an elephant stampede