The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has instructed municipalities across the Kingdom to ensure that fire-resistant materials are used in all planned buildings. Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs Abdullatif Al-Asheikh said municipalities could no longer use construction materials that are not fire-resistant. "All constructed buildings must be approved by the municipality. The municipality looks into the materials used and ensures that they are approved by the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization," Al-Asheikh said. He also said that a specialized committee had studied the safety and protection requirements for glass and aluminum buildings. "The committee concluded that all materials used must be fire-resistant. The committee also stressed on the importance of leaving no gap between the walls and the floors to prevent fire from seeping through," Al-Asheikh said. The Civil Defense has also warned builders from using flammable decorative materials. "The Civil Defense reported a decorative material caused many fire hazards in various buildings. The Civil Defense statement propelled the ministry to form a committee and set new protective regulations eight months ago. The Civil Defense cited a fire in a hotel in Makkah as an example of the inflammable decorative material," Al-Asheikh said. Civil Defense assistant director for safety Maj. Gen. Abdullah Al-Shighaithri said the use of processed inflammable aluminum has increased during the past few years. "The material is attractive and easy to install. However, the Civil Defense will not allow for the safety of the people to be compromised. We are pleased that the ministry took the necessary precautions to ensure that all future buildings will only use fire-resistant material," Al-Shighaithri said.
