Wednesday, June 24, 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

    Mark Saunders Named Toronto's Top Cop; First Black To Lead The Force

    Mark Saunders Named Toronto's Top Cop; First Black To Lead The Force
    TORONTO — A married father of four was named the city's chief of police Monday — the first black officer to lead the $1-billion force — after an international search that led right back to headquarters.

    Mark Saunders Named Toronto's Top Cop; First Black To Lead The Force

    Finance Minister Opts For 'New Balance' Running Shoes Ahead Of Federal Budget

    Finance Minister Opts For 'New Balance' Running Shoes Ahead Of Federal Budget
    TORONTO — In keeping with a pre-budget tradition, federal Finance Minister Joe Oliver purchased a pair of new shoes Monday, opting for sneakers from the "New Balance" brand.

    Finance Minister Opts For 'New Balance' Running Shoes Ahead Of Federal Budget

    Jury Selection Begins In Case Of Two People Charged In Loretta Saunders Death

    Jury Selection Begins In Case Of Two People Charged In Loretta Saunders Death
    he 26-year-old woman's body was found in a wooded area off the Trans-Canada Highway in New Brunswick, two weeks after she disappeared from her Halifax apartment in February 2014.

    Jury Selection Begins In Case Of Two People Charged In Loretta Saunders Death

    After Announcing 'Q' Would Become 'q', CBC Says 'q' Will Still Be Written As 'Q'

    After Announcing 'Q' Would Become 'q', CBC Says 'q' Will Still Be Written As 'Q'
    Last week, CBC announced the new Shad-hosted version of its arts and culture radio program "Q" was getting a little makeover. The show would keep its name but would be branded with a lower-case "q."

    After Announcing 'Q' Would Become 'q', CBC Says 'q' Will Still Be Written As 'Q'

    Duffy's First Cousin Was Paid After Clipping, Scanning Articles From Paper

    Duffy's First Cousin Was Paid After Clipping, Scanning Articles From Paper
    OTTAWA — One of Mike Duffy's first cousins in Prince Edward Island was paid after sending him scanned copies of news articles from the local papers, the suspended senator's trial heard today.

    Duffy's First Cousin Was Paid After Clipping, Scanning Articles From Paper

    Arun Bains Dead: Surrey Police Fear Revenge Attack After Deadly Weekend Shooting

    Arun Bains Dead: Surrey Police Fear Revenge Attack After Deadly Weekend Shooting
    SURREY, B.C. — Police in Surrey say they are concerned about the possibility of a revenge attack after a man known to have links to drugs was killed early Sunday in the most recent flare-up of violence.

    Arun Bains Dead: Surrey Police Fear Revenge Attack After Deadly Weekend Shooting