The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has said that no lives were lost in the fire incident that razed a hotel accommodating 484 Nigerian pilgrims in Makkah on Saturday.
NAHCON said in a statement by its spokesperson, Fatima Usara, that the fire incident occurred at the Imaratus Sanan Hotel at noon on Saturday while Nigerian pilgrims were fulfilling obligations in Mina.
“NAHCON regrets to inform the public of a fire incident that occurred earlier Saturday around 12:00 noon (KSA time), at one of the hotels accommodating Nigerian pilgrims on Shari Mansur Street in Makkah.
“The affected hotel, Imaratus Sanan, was hosting about 484 pilgrims from six Nigerian Private Tour Operator Companies. Thankfully, no lives were lost, and all pilgrims were safe in Mina.
“Immediate emergency response by Saudi authorities and the hotel management helped to contain the fire swiftly and prevent it from spreading all over the building,” Ms Usara said.
According to her, following the incident, the chairman/CEO of NAHCON, Abdullahi Saleh, visited the location promptly to assess the situation and ensure the welfare of the affected pilgrims is prioritised.
She said Mr Saleh was accompanied by the Commissioner for Policy, Personnel Management, and Finance, Aliu Abdulrazak, and the Deputy Makkah Coordinator, Director Alidu Shutti.
Meanwhile, Mr Saleh ordered the immediate relocation of the affected pilgrims to a new accommodation.
The NAHCON chairman commiserated with the affected pilgrims, assuring them that the commission would provide every possible support within its capacity to mitigate the impact of the incident.
He promised that NAHCON would work with the affected tour operators to ensure pilgrims were relocated and provided with the necessary assistance.
The chairman and his team appreciated the prompt response of the Saudi emergency services and the cooperation of the hotel staff in managing the situation.
(NAN)
