A fire destroyed three buildings in a traditional section of Jeddah, listed as a Unesco world heritage site, the Saudi civil defence said on Wednesday.

Saudi civil defence said 60 people had evacuated their homes when the fire broke late on Tuesday in Al-Balad, a historic district in the Red Sea city of Jeddah which dates back to the 8th century.

The blaze completely destroyed three buildings and seriously damaged three others, civil defence said. There were no reports of injuries.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia's second largest city after the capital Riyadh, is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.

The city is home to 19th-century houses known for their Roshan, a distinctive wooden facade.

Located in Makkah province, Jeddah has long been the arrival point for pilgrims journeying to Makkah city for hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage which this year takes place next month.

Opinion

Editorial

Plugging the gap
06 May, 2024

Plugging the gap

IN Pakistan, bias begins at birth for the girl child as discriminatory norms, orthodox attitudes and poverty impede...
Terrains of dread
Updated 06 May, 2024

Terrains of dread

Restored faith in the police is unachievable without political commitment and interprovincial support.
Appointment rules
Updated 06 May, 2024

Appointment rules

If the judiciary had the power to self-regulate, it ought to have exercised it instead of involving the legislature.
Hasty transition
Updated 05 May, 2024

Hasty transition

Ostensibly, the aim is to exert greater control over social media and to gain more power to crack down on activists, dissidents and journalists.
One small step…
05 May, 2024

One small step…

THERE is some good news for the nation from the heavens above. On Friday, Pakistan managed to dispatch a lunar...
Not out of the woods
05 May, 2024

Not out of the woods

PAKISTAN’S economic vitals might be showing some signs of improvement, but the country is not yet out of danger....