A general view from inside the Grand Mosque showing a part of a large crane that collapsed on the mosque on 11 September 2015. The civil defense authority of Saudi Arabia has confirmed at least 52 casualties with some 30 people injured in the accident. (EPA/STRINGER)
SEPTEMBER 11, 2015
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) —
Saudi Arabia's civil defense authority has raised the death toll from the collapse of a construction crane at Mecca's Grand Mosque, saying at least 87 people have been killed.
The authority announced the latest casualties' figure from Friday's accident on its official Twitter account.
The accident happened as pilgrims are streaming into Islam's holiest city for the annual hajj pilgrimage later this month.
Videos and photos posted by social media users showed a grisly scene, with police and onlookers attending to bloodied bodies on the polished mosque floors.
God is great.This happened on 9/11 of all days? Justice? Revenge? Anyway, thousands are killed every year during these Muslim pilgrimages. This is just a drop in the bucket.
The crane could be one of 20 Wolff 355B cranes installed around the mosque in 2011, part of an order received by Wolffkran and its local partner the Roots Group.
