A hotel in Makkah accommodating 484 Nigerian pilgrims was engulfed by fire on Saturday, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) confirmed.
Fortunately, there were no casualties, as all affected pilgrims were safely away in Mina fulfilling religious obligations at the time of the incident.
In a statement issued by NAHCON’s spokesperson, Fatima Usara, the fire broke out around 12:00 noon (Saudi local time) at the Imaratus Sanan Hotel located on Shari Mansur Street.
“The affected hotel, Imaratus Sanan, was hosting approximately 484 Nigerian pilgrims affiliated with six Private Tour Operator Companies,” the statement read. “Thankfully, no lives were lost.
All the pilgrims were safe in Mina during the incident.”
NAHCON commended the swift response from Saudi emergency services and hotel management, which helped contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading further within the building.
Following the incident, NAHCON Chairman and CEO, Abdullahi Saleh, visited the hotel site to assess the damage and oversee welfare arrangements for the pilgrims.
He was accompanied by the Commissioner for Policy, Personnel Management, and Finance, Aliu Abdulrazak, and the Deputy Makkah Coordinator, Alidu Shutti.
In response to the situation, Mr. Saleh immediately directed the relocation of the affected pilgrims to alternative accommodations.
He reassured them of the commission’s commitment to supporting them and minimizing any disruption caused by the incident.
NAHCON also expressed gratitude to the Saudi emergency responders and hotel staff for their prompt and effective handling of the fire, and confirmed it would continue working with tour operators to ensure the welfare of the affected pilgrims.