Hatim Al-Masoudi and Muhammad Sameeh Okaz/Saudi Gazette
MAKKAH – Following the tragic accident in which a firefighter from the Civil Defense died when his truck fell into a flood canal in Al-Sharayeh neighborhood here, the Makkah Mayoralty dispatched an engineer to the site to ensure that the company in charge of the project had complied with the proper safety measures. The engineer said that the project was awarded to a company specialized in installing drainage pipes. He said the project did not meet the minimum safety requirements and wrote down his findings in a report that he will submit to the mayoralty. Muhammad Al-Omairi, deputy chairman of Makkah municipal council, said that the mayoralty should blacklist all companies which fail to implement contracted projects on time. Obaid Al-Otaibi, who lives in the neighborhood, said residents have complained about incomplete sanitary drainage projects and called upon authorities to address the situation. “Many people have lost their lives because of these negligent projects, the latest took place last Friday and an innocent firefighter died.” Meanwhile, the brother of Nayef Al-Masoodi, the firefighter who died in the accident, blamed the company working on the project for the death of his 36-year-old brother. “The project has been neglected for four years. There were no safety signs or barriers put up to warn drivers,” he said while calling upon authorities to take strict action against companies that fail to adhere to safety regulations. Brig. Gen. Jameel Arbaeen, Makkah Civil Defense Director, denied reports that the accident was caused due to vehicle brake failure and said the truck has been sent to the manufacturer for analysis. Al-Masoodi was buried on Saturday in Makkah.
