Saudi students bag 27 awards at Regeneron ISEF 2024    Civil defense issues weather warning amid forecasted thunderstorms    Public security launches online service for reporting financial fraud on Mada cards via Absher    Ministry of Interior reports over 16,000 violations in latest inspection campaign    Aramco signs three MoUs with American companies to advance lower-carbon energy solutions    King Abdulaziz University launches female admissions in maritime studies    Palestinian death toll nears 35,400 as Israel continues to pound Gaza    Pro-Palestinian protests continue across US campuses amid arrests    White House confirms evacuation of 17 American doctors from Gaza hospital    Tense calm in New Caledonia as France increases security presence    Jorge Jesus praises Al Hilal's resilience after dramatic last-minute draw in Riyadh Derby    Saudi Arabia's RGA implements innovative road technology for Hajj season    Star golfer Scottie Scheffler arrested over alleged assault on police officer    Saudi Arabia joins International Agency for Research on Cancer    Row erupts over portraits of Australia's richest woman    Al-Ittihad's victory drought continues, misses chance to qualify for ACL elite    Al Ittihad CEO frustrated with 'not positive' SPL feedback, announces internal assessment    Cognite Data Fusion now available on Google Cloud in Saudi Arabia    Indian spices face heat over global safety concerns    Glioblastoma: Top Australian doctor remains brain cancer-free after a year    JK Rowling in 'arrest me' challenge over hate crime law    Trump's Bible endorsement raises concern in Christian religious circles    Hollywood icon Will Smith shares his profound admiration for Holy Qur'an    We have celebrated Founding Day for three years - but it has been with us for 300    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Ten dead as Mexico church roof collapses
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 02 - 10 - 2023

At least 10 people, including three children, were killed when the roof of a church collapsed in northern Mexico.
The collapse happened on Sunday afternoon local time as around 100 people were attending a baptism at Santa Cruz church in Ciudad Madero.
Sixty people were injured, at least two of them seriously, and dozens were trapped underneath the rubble.
Local residents rushed to the building with shovels and pickaxes to try to free those trapped.
Search and rescue teams have since arrived at the scene and two cranes are on site to remove the debris.
The governor of Tamaulipas has said that all of those missing have been accounted for. Rescue workers used thermal imaging cameras to ensure no one remained under the rubble.
It is not yet clear what may have caused the collapse but the mayor of Ciudad Madero said it was probably due to "structural failures".
Ángel Vargas, the priest who was celebrating the baptisms when the collapse occurred said that a day of celebration had turned into a tragedy.
"They came to search for heaven for the little ones and found eternity. I want the families to find peace. All of this is unfathomable."
Local journalist Franc Contreras told the BBC World Service's Newsday programme that the collapse happened at a key moment in the service.
"People were lined up to take the communion - of course that's sort of the climax of the Catholic Mass - and that's when the roof came down on top of them; bricks, concrete, and of course steel support structures coming down on top of the people," he said.
He added that according to Red Cross officials the roof came down on pews in the church, allowing the possibility that anyone trapped there could survive in air pockets.
One of the survivors described her ordeal on social media.
Josefina Ramírez said she had been attending the baptism of her godchild when the roof came down.
"Thank God, I'm alive (...) I feared I would not see my beautiful family again (...) I don't know how we got out," she wrote.
Local media reported that one of the people trapped had managed to send a WhatsApp message which helped rescuers to find him.
Among those who died was reportedly a toddler and a couple with their eight-year-old son, Mexican newspaper Milenio reported.
The bishop of the diocese of Tampico, where the church is located, said he was praying for the victims. — BBC


Clic here to read the story from its source.