Friday, November 29, 2013

Grand Mosque In Makkah Structure Collapses, 10 Killed

By Fauzia Arshi | Makkah

DEVELOPING STORY A newly constructed structure at the Grand Mosque in Makkah collapsed delaying work on the second phase of the mataf expansion project. 10 killed, 100 injured in the accident that took place south of the Umrah Gate.

“The structure collapsed because of the amount of debris on scaffolds,” said Ahmed Al-Mansouri, spokesman of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques. “Causalities and injured in the incident as it took place in an area away from the mataf," he said.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has instructed officials to open the first phase of the mataf expansion project just before the Haj season. The new area includes an expanded ground floor and first floor with a total capacity of 40,000 worshippers per hour.

The current Haram expansion ordered by King Abdullah is the largest in history and provides additional space for 1.3 million worshippers. The new annex of the mosque will have 52 gates, four minarets and 120 escalators. The project covers more than one million square meters.

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