Thursday, July 9, 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

    B.C. Man Convicted Of Killing Three Women, One Girl Files Appeal

    B.C. Man Convicted Of Killing Three Women, One Girl Files Appeal
    VANCOUVER — A man who was convicted of killing three women and a teen girl in central British Columbia has filed an appeal.

    B.C. Man Convicted Of Killing Three Women, One Girl Files Appeal

    Book About Rape Wins $40,000 B.C. National Award For Canadian Non-fiction

    Book About Rape Wins $40,000 B.C. National Award For Canadian Non-fiction
    Karyn L. Freedman, a philosophy professor at the University of Guelph in Ontario, received the prize for her book "One Hour in Paris: A True Story of Rape and Recovery."

    Book About Rape Wins $40,000 B.C. National Award For Canadian Non-fiction

    Coroner Identifies Man Who Died After RCMP Used Conducted Energy Weapon

    Coroner Identifies Man Who Died After RCMP Used Conducted Energy Weapon
    VANCOUVER — The coroners service has identified a man who died in Chilliwack, B.C., after Mounties used a conducted energy weapon.

    Coroner Identifies Man Who Died After RCMP Used Conducted Energy Weapon

    U.S. OK's Genetically Engineered B.C. Apples For Sale South Of Border

    U.S. OK's Genetically Engineered B.C. Apples For Sale South Of Border
    VANCOUVER — A British Columbia firm that created a controversial apple genetically engineered not to turn brown has been given a stamp of approval by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

    U.S. OK's Genetically Engineered B.C. Apples For Sale South Of Border

    Shawn Matthias Records The First Hat Trick Of His Career As Canucks Down Bruins

    Shawn Matthias Records The First Hat Trick Of His Career As Canucks Down Bruins
    VANCOUVER — Shawn Matthias' first NHL hat trick came in front of his biggest fan. The bruising centre scored three times with his dad looking on Friday as the Vancouver Canucks downed the Boston Bruins 5-2.

    Shawn Matthias Records The First Hat Trick Of His Career As Canucks Down Bruins

    Mohamed Fahmy Criticizes Canada For Mistakes That Have Kept Him In Egypt: Report

    Mohamed Fahmy Criticizes Canada For Mistakes That Have Kept Him In Egypt: Report
    CAIRO — Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy is pulling no punches when it comes to who he blames for the 400 days he's spent in a Cairo prison — and Prime Minister Stephen Harper and former foreign affairs minister John Baird are on his list.

    Mohamed Fahmy Criticizes Canada For Mistakes That Have Kept Him In Egypt: Report