Building collapse in Mecca leaves 20 dead

The collapse of a four-storey building in the Muslim holy city of Mecca today killed at least 20 pilgrims and injured 60 as huge…

The collapse of a four-storey building in the Muslim holy city of Mecca today killed at least 20 pilgrims and injured 60 as huge crowds gathered for the annual haj pilgrimage, the Interior Ministry said.

Rescue workers using cranes and their bare hands sifted through the rubble late into the night as police cordoned off the area near the holy mosque that is the focal point of the haj, which has been marred by disasters in the past.

A ministry spokesman said at least 59 people were injured in the incident, which occurred three days before the start of the ritual. Twenty-four of the injured remained in hospital, another official said.

"Two buildings, one on each side of the hostel, have been evacuated as a precaution," Adel al-Zamzami, head of the rescue services, told reporters. He said a state committee was investigating the collapse.

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Witnesses described how the busy market street was suddenly enveloped in dust when the building fell in the early afternoon.

"I pulled out at least 10 dead," one medic said as pilgrims helped clear away the rubble.

"I heard a loud noise then suddenly the air was full of debris. I came on to the street then pulled four people out of the mess," said Gamal Umran, an Egyptian electrician who was working in a building across the street.

Residents said the hostel, which jostled with souvenir shops and hotels in the narrow street, was six storeys high and 30 years old.

About 1 million pilgrims are already in Mecca for the haj, which starts on Sunday, and at least 2.5 million are expected.

The haj has been marred by deaths in recent years. Some 250 pilgrims died in a stampede in 2004 during the stoning of three stone pillars which symbolise the devil.

Inside the nearby Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest site, thousands gathered throughout the day to pray around the Kaaba, a black stone structure where Muslims believe God's presence is most felt on Earth.

Islam requires all able-bodied Muslims to perform the haj, a gruelling five-day ritual, at least once in a lifetime.