Case Study 1

2006 Luluat Al Khair Hotel building collapse

 

 

Introduction:

On 5 January 2006 a 5-storey Hotel collapsed in Mecca just 60 meters away from the walls of Masjid Al Haram or the Grand Mosque, Islam’s holiest city, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Casualties: 76 dead, 62 injured. The disaster marred the start of the annual gathering of millions of Muslims for the hajj pilgrimage in that year. The massive gathering suffered several tragedies in the past 20 years despite the Saudi effort to organize and accommodate more than 2 million people who descend on Mecca every year to perform the Hajj which is an obligation for every Muslim who is physically and financially able to fulfil at least once in a lifetime.

 

 

 

 

Overview:

The building that collapsed contained shops, restaurants and is used as a hotel during pilgrimages; the building base was surrounded by market stalls as well as the path towards the Grand Mosque. Prior to the collapse a fire was witnessed spreading on the ground floor; the fire alarm was on and sprinklers were in operation. Fortunately, the building wasn’t full because most of the residents were in the holy shrine at that time. Nevertheless, most of the casualties were from the passers-by near the building. United Arab Emirates state news agency WAM said four of its citizens had been killed, and according to Islam, anyone who dies on the way to or during the hajj is a martyr (Allah’s will).

 

 

 

Ethical issues:

a)   Engineering: After a lengthy and through investigation, it has been shown that the building, which was constructed 50 years ago where the majority of contractors at that time were not professional in the real sense of architecture, and they were not bound to any professional ethics or code of conduct. They have used traditional methods, therefore, the building collapsed because of its ageing structure and ill-designed annex.

 

b)  Administrative: an investigation committee was formed after the incident where it examined all buildings housing pilgrims and ensured they are safe.

 

c)   National politics: Habib Turkestani, the Saudi owner and the operator of the hotel kept on insisting that the structure was safe; and related the incident to the matter of fate and divine decree. Therefore, the Saudi Government proposed public clarification, placing emphasis on how building disasters could be prevented rather than managing situations which might be costlier in order to identify the safety standard to all of the building owners, where nothing was released to the media whether an action was taken against Turkestani by that time or not.

 

d)  Shop owners: many of the market sellers around the hotel lost their shops and under orders from the minister of Interior, back at that time, Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz “may peace be upon him” they were provided with a financial assistance until they get settled with brand new shops at other locations around the Grand Mosque as well.

 

e)  Building inspectors: the built environment, in any country, determines the nature and pace of national development. Inspectors should always bear in mind that accommodation is one of the basic needs of human kind, and based on that, the governor of Mecca revoked all the licenses given before the collapse and ordered a re-evaluation from the building inspectors of all buildings.

 

f)    General pilgrims: the number of pilgrims that descend on Mecca each year has increased in the past 8 years; during that time, the Saudi government spent billions of dollars to improve the accommodation, transportation and medical facilities in order to ensure the safety of the millions of the faithful who arrive for hajj each year.

 

 

Conclusion:

 

After the lengthy and through investigation, the government of Saudi Arabia stated that the responsibility for the incident lay on the shoulders of the first tenant, the architectural department, the ministry of commerce and industry’s branch in Mecca and the general secretariat in the city. The investigation committee that was formed after the incident took the case in addition to the public prosecution in order to examine the allegations filed against employees of the ministry of commerce and industry in Mecca and the general secretariat in the city.


References:

1. Mecca Hotel Collapse Kills Hajj Pilgrims." Review. The Guardian [London] n.d.: n. pag. Theguardian.com. Guardian News and Media, 05 Jan. 2006. Web. 14 Mar. 2014.
2. Pilgrim Hostel Collapses in Mecca." BBC News. BBC, 05 Jan. 2006. Web. 14 Mar. 2014.
3. Rescuers Search in Rubble of Mecca Building." The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, 6 Jan. 2006. Web. 14 Mar. 2014.
4. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Ministry of Hajj. Hajj Ministry Portal. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2014.
5. Adnan, Hamimah, Norfashiha Hashim, Norazian Mohd, Norizan Ahmad, and Yusuwan. Ethical Issues in the Construction Industry: Contractor's Perspective. Rep. Universiti Teknologi MARA, 9 Apr. 2012. Web. 14 Mar. 2014.
6. Curry, David. "Saudi Arabia MOH Issues." Global Vaccine Ethics and Policy. Center of Vaccine Ethics and Policy, 28 July 2013. Web. 14 Mar. 2014.