2006 Mecca hostel collapse
On January 5, 2006, a four-storey hostel in Mecca collapsed during a busy time for Hajj. The Lulu'at al-Khair hostel on al-Ghazal Street, about 60 meters from Masjid al-Haram, housed Muslim pilgrims and also had a restaurant and shops. About 30 people were staying there.
The building was at least 25 years old. The operator, Habib Turkestani, said it was structurally sound. Reports said a fire started downstairs before the collapse, the fire alarm went off, and sprinklers activated. The building was not full because many people had gone to the Grand Mosque for noon prayers.
Nearby residents helped pull people from the rubble. Up to 1,000 Saudi rescue workers were dispatched, and two large cranes were brought in to clear the debris. Some nearby buildings were evacuated as a precaution.
Initially, 13 people were reported dead, but the toll rose to 76. About 62 people were injured. Most victims were passers-by, shoppers, or people returning from the mosque. Many of the dead were foreigners from Arab and Asian countries. The bodies were buried in Jannatul Mualla cemetery in Mecca.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 05:40 (CET).