Saudi officials: Crane collapse at Mecca Grand Mosque kills at least 107
A crane collapsed on the main mosque in Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca on Friday, killing at least 107 people and injuring more than 238, officials said, less than two weeks before the beginning of the annual hajj Islamic pilgrimage.
The crane crashed through a roof at Mecca’s Grand Mosque during a heavy rainstorm, leaving piles of debris, jagged rubble and bloodied victims on the marble floors.
Images on social media showed dazed survivors, and the injured and dead being dragged across blood-streaked floors.
A video posted on Twitter appeared to show the crane collapsing with a loud boom, followed by screams and confusion among the worshipers.
An Al Jazeera reporter in Mecca said the crane toppled onto the third floor of the Grand Mosque about 5:45 p.m. local time, when the mosque was packed with people awaiting the 6:30 p.m. prayer.
Dozens of ambulances raced to the site, and authorities closed off the area.
Lt. Gen. Suleiman al-Amr, head of the Civil Defense Directorate, said strong winds and rain uprooted trees and affected cranes in the area, Reuters news agency reported.