Industrial Fire At Commercial Warehouse Injures Six Workers, Firefighters Contain Blaze In Jeddah

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia— An industrial fire at a commercial warehouse injured six workers Wednesday afternoon, sending thick black smoke over the industrial district and forcing evacuation of neighboring facilities.

Arab News reported the fire broke out at 2:10 p.m. in Al Khumrah district near the port. The warehouse stored plastic goods, cleaning chemicals, and packaging materials. Workers were loading pallets when a forklift struck a chemical drum. Sparks ignited fumes.

The blaze spread rapidly through stacked pallets. Workers attempted to extinguish it with extinguishers but failed. The fire reached the roof within 15 minutes. Explosions from aerosol cans were heard 500 meters away.

Civil Defense deployed 14 fire engines and two aerial ladders. Firefighters battled flames for three hours. They prevented spread to two adjacent warehouses containing food products. Drones monitored hotspots from above.

Six workers suffered burns and smoke inhalation. Two sustained second-degree burns to arms and face. Four suffered respiratory distress. All were taken to King Fahd Hospital. One remains in intensive care. The others are stable.

Colonel Faisal Al-Harbi of Jeddah Civil Defense said initial findings point to improper storage of flammable chemicals near ignition sources. He said the warehouse lacked automatic sprinklers. He said safety permits will be reviewed.

The warehouse owner said the facility was insured and employed 35 workers. He said daily operations have been halted. He said workers received safety training last year but acknowledged gaps in chemical handling.

Environmental teams measured air quality in the industrial zone. Readings showed elevated particulates for two hours. Residents in nearby districts were advised to keep windows closed. No residential evacuation was ordered.

Prosecutors opened an investigation for safety violations causing injury. Labor inspectors seized storage logs and safety certificates. The warehouse remains sealed. The investigation is ongoing.