Saturday, June 20, 2026
ADVT 
National

Over 65 Killed As Crane Falls On Mecca's Grand Mosque

Darpan News Desk IANS, 11 Sep, 2015 10:38 AM
    Over 65 people were killed after a crane collapsed on to the Grand Mosque in the Saudi Arabia's holy city of Makkah, which is preparing for the Annual Haj.
     
    At least 65 people have been killed and at least 30 injured, reported the BBC, citing the Saudi civil defence authority.
     
     
     
     
    It was raining heavily at the time. Few other details are available. Images from the scene showed part of a huge red crane had crashed through the roof of the mosque.Mecca is preparing for the annual Muslim Hajj pilgrimage.
     
    Construction work has been going on at the Grand Mosque for years to make it big enough to cope with the huge numbers of people who come each year.
     
     
    The incident occurred as hundreds of thousands of Muslims gather from all over the world for the annual hajj pilgrimage set to begin later this month, and Saudi authorities go to great lengths to be prepared for the millions of Muslims who converge on Makkah.
     
    The Grand Mosque is usually at its most crowded on Fridays, the Muslim weekly day of prayer.
     
     
     
     
    Last year, the kingdom reduced the numbers permitted to perform haj for safety reasons because of construction work to enlarge the Grand Mosque.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Mohamed Fahmy Files $100m Lawsuit Against His Employer Al-Jazeera

    A Canadian journalist on trial for widely denounced terror charges in Egypt has filed a lawsuit against his employer. Mohamed Fahmy says he is suing satellite news broadcaster Al Jazeera for $100 million in damages.

    Mohamed Fahmy Files $100m Lawsuit Against His Employer Al-Jazeera

    Retired U.S. Soldier Criticizes Canada's Release Of Omar Khadr On Bail

    Retired U.S. Soldier Criticizes Canada's Release Of Omar Khadr On Bail
    SALT LAKE CITY — A retired American soldier has criticized a Canadian judge's decision to allow the release a former Guantanamo Bay inmate on bail, saying he's a dangerous terrorist who poses a threat to the West's safety.

    Retired U.S. Soldier Criticizes Canada's Release Of Omar Khadr On Bail

    Inquest Into Taxi Drop-off Death Hears Hospital Saw Woman As 'Inconvenience'

    WINNIPEG — A woman whose mother died hours after being sent home in a cab from a hospital has told an inquest that her mother was seen as a nuisance by medical staff who just wanted to "get rid of her."

    Inquest Into Taxi Drop-off Death Hears Hospital Saw Woman As 'Inconvenience'

    Rob Ford Undergoes Surgery To Remove Cancerous Tumour

    Rob Ford Undergoes Surgery To Remove Cancerous Tumour
    TORONTO — Rob Ford, the controversial former mayor of Toronto, began intensive surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from his abdomen Monday, with the operation expected to last more than 10 hours.

    Rob Ford Undergoes Surgery To Remove Cancerous Tumour

    Lowe's Builds Canadian Reach By Adding 13 Target Stores, Distribution Centre

    Lowe's Builds Canadian Reach By Adding 13 Target Stores, Distribution Centre
    Lowe's announced Monday that it is building its presence in Ontario and six Western Canadian cities after reaching a deal to buy 13 Target Canada leases and a distribution centre west of Toronto for about $151 million.

    Lowe's Builds Canadian Reach By Adding 13 Target Stores, Distribution Centre

    Green Party Leader May Very Apologetic About Omar Khadr Remarks

    OTTAWA — Green party Leader Elizabeth May says she is "very apologetic" about remarks she made on the weekend that included profanity and insulted the federal cabinet about how it has treated Omar Khadr.

    Green Party Leader May Very Apologetic About Omar Khadr Remarks