JEDDAH: Firefighters were called to a blaze at a girls' school in Jeddah early Sunday morning believed to have been caused by a short circuit in two air-conditioning units. Headmistress Hissa Al-Juhani said the incident occurred at approximately 6 A.M., before pupils had arrived for class. “The Civil Defense was called in immediately and we sent out messages to parents informing them that classes were canceled,” she said. “The guard and teachers informed parents who had already arrived.” The 4th Girls' High School building caters for 700 pupils and has 20 air-conditioning units said to “require replacing”. While the school would not permit reporters at the scene to inspect the units, a senior Civil Defense praised the school for “responding swiftly and correctly in the prescribed manner”. The official added that the Civil Defense has over the last six years carried out numerous studies on safety in schools, and trained male and female teachers in extinguishing fires and response procedures. Parents, however, were concerned that this represented the second fire at the school in recent times caused by ageing air-conditioning units, and some members of staff said they had purchased air-conditioners out of their own pockets. At the end of last week, the Ministry of Education announced that training in emergency response would be made compulsory for women principals, deputy principals and supervisors at all girls' schools in the country. The three-day courses include firefighting, evacuation and rescue procedures addressing smoke inhalation, stampedes and roof collapses. Trainees are required upon completion of the course to draw up procedural plans and introduce the procedures to school staff, employees and students. Ongoing concerns Safety at the country's girls' schools has been an ongoing concern for parents, staff and authorities. In two days alone last week, Saudi Gazette reported a crumbling ceiling, a wall collapse and a fire at girls' schools in the south, east, and west of the Kingdom. Only a week earlier, a stampede occurred at Jizan University as women students fled from falling ceiling tiles at a newly constructed complex. The stampede was reportedly provoked when 3,000 students were given the order to evacuate. No one was seriously injured, although eight persons were admitted to Jizan General Hospital.
