To avoid loss of lives in case of fire, a textile factory has been working to develop a special heat-resistant fabric that can be used for school uniforms. — ArchivesLaura Bashraheel Saudi GazetteJEDDAH — A textile factory in the Kingdom has been working to develop a special heat-resistant fabric that could be used for school uniforms, according to local reports. The textile will be designed to reduce damage to students in the event of fire inside schools. This development follows last year's incident in a private school for girls in Jeddah where two teachers had died and 46 students were injured. The fire broke out in the school's basement that was caused by an electric short circuit. Salem Bin Salman, CEO of Amari Textiles Trading, said that the company had received many inquiries from concerned mothers about whether they have the fire-resistant fabrics available. “We have a dedicated team in the company to develop the specific fabrics for schools in collaboration with our team based in Japan and Indonesia. Also, the fabric aims to adapt to the hot weather here as well as be resistant to fires while maintaining comfort and good health," he said. Bin Salman added that the fabric should be available in the market within this month before the start of the new academic year. Afaf Adil, a mother of five, said that she worries for her daughter's safety when she is in school, especially after the fire incidents which occurred in the past few years. “If they manage to develop such a fabric, that is a good news. With poor maintenance at girls' schools, accidents can happen easily and we should be extra cautious," she said. Fatin, a mother of four, also said it would be great to have such material available in Saudi market for students but the Ministry of Education should ensure that schools are equipped with the latest alarms and exists to prevent any damages. “What happened last year was terrible and we can never forget Makkah fire where 15 girls died due to poor facilities," she said. Fatin also added that she would buy the fabric if it was comfortable enough for her daughter to wear at school.
