Death toll reached 107 in crane collapse at Mecca's Grand Mosque, 238 others injured - PHOTO - UPDATED

Death toll reached 107 in crane collapse at MeccaPHOTO - UPDATED '>
# 11 September 2015 23:54 (UTC +04:00)

One man said the bad weather contributed to the chaos after the crane toppled over.

***23:14

Baku-APA. A crane collapsed Friday evening at one of Islam's most important mosques Mecca's Masjid al-Haram, or Grand Mosque killing at least 87 people and injuring 184 others, Saudi Arabia's civil defense authorities said Friday on Twitter, APA reports quoting BBC.

***

22:34

Baku-APA. At least 65 people were killed when a crane crashed in Mecca's Grand Mosque on Friday, Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense authority said, in an accident that came just weeks before Islam's annual hajj pilgrimage, APA reports quoting Reuters.

The civil defense said on its Twitter account 154 people were also injured in the accident. Al Arabiya television earlier said the crane had fallen because of strong storms - western Saudi Arabia has been hit by strong sand storms in the last few days.

Pictures circulating on social media showed pilgrims in bloodied robes and masses of debris from a part of the crane that seemed to have crashed through a ceiling.

Saudi authorities go to great lengths to prepare for the millions of Muslim who converge on Mecca to perform the sacred pilgrimage. Last year, it reduced the numbers permitted to perform hajj for safety reasons because of construction work to enlarge the Grand Mosque.

The pilgrimage, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, has been prone to disasters in the past, mainly fromstampedes as pilgrims rushed to complete rituals and return home. Hundreds of pilgrims died in such a stampede in 2006.

Saudi authorities have since lavished vast sums to expand the main hajj sites and improve Mecca's transportation system, in an effort to prevent more disasters.

Security services often ring Islam's sacred city with checkpoints and other measures to prevent people arriving for the pilgrimage without authorization.

Those procedures, aimed at reducing crowd pressure which can lead to stampedes, fires and other hazards, have been intensified in recent years as security threats grow throughout the Middle East.

***

22:10

There are no any Azerbaijani pilgrims among the victims

Baku-APA. Lifting crane turned over in Kaaba, and destroyed the nearby building. As a result, several people trapped under rubble: 10 died and 20 others injured.

According to APA, there are no any Azerbaijani pilgrims among the victims. Azerbaijani pilgrims have placed in hotels in Medina.

***

21:09

Baku-APA. Lifting crane turned over in Kaaba, and destroyed the nearby building. As a result, several people remained under ruble.

According to APA, there are no any Azerbaijani pilgrims among the victims. Azerbaijani pilgrims have placed in hotels in Medina.

One man said the bad weather contributed to the chaos after the crane toppled over.

***23:14

Baku-APA. A crane collapsed Friday evening at one of Islam's most important mosques Mecca's Masjid al-Haram, or Grand Mosque killing at least 87 people and injuring 184 others, Saudi Arabia's civil defense authorities said Friday on Twitter, APA reports quoting BBC.

***

22:34

Baku-APA. At least 65 people were killed when a crane crashed in Mecca's Grand Mosque on Friday, Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense authority said, in an accident that came just weeks before Islam's annual hajj pilgrimage, APA reports quoting Reuters.

The civil defense said on its Twitter account 154 people were also injured in the accident. Al Arabiya television earlier said the crane had fallen because of strong storms - western Saudi Arabia has been hit by strong sand storms in the last few days.

Pictures circulating on social media showed pilgrims in bloodied robes and masses of debris from a part of the crane that seemed to have crashed through a ceiling.

Saudi authorities go to great lengths to prepare for the millions of Muslim who converge on Mecca to perform the sacred pilgrimage. Last year, it reduced the numbers permitted to perform hajj for safety reasons because of construction work to enlarge the Grand Mosque.

The pilgrimage, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, has been prone to disasters in the past, mainly fromstampedes as pilgrims rushed to complete rituals and return home. Hundreds of pilgrims died in such a stampede in 2006.

Saudi authorities have since lavished vast sums to expand the main hajj sites and improve Mecca's transportation system, in an effort to prevent more disasters.

Security services often ring Islam's sacred city with checkpoints and other measures to prevent people arriving for the pilgrimage without authorization.

Those procedures, aimed at reducing crowd pressure which can lead to stampedes, fires and other hazards, have been intensified in recent years as security threats grow throughout the Middle East.

***

22:10

There are no any Azerbaijani pilgrims among the victims

Baku-APA. Lifting crane turned over in Kaaba, and destroyed the nearby building. As a result, several people trapped under rubble: 10 died and 20 others injured

According to APA, there are no any Azerbaijani pilgrims among the victims. Azerbaijani pilgrims have placed in hotels in Medina.

***

21:09

Baku-APA. Lifting crane turned over in Kaaba, and destroyed the nearby building. As a result, several people remained under ruble.

According to APA, there are no any Azerbaijani pilgrims among the victims. Azerbaijani pilgrims have placed in hotels in Medina.

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