The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has said that no lives were lost in the fire incident razing an hotel accommodating 484 Nigerian pilgrims in Makkah on Saturday.

NAHCON said this in a statement by its Assistant Director, Information and Publications Division, Fatima Usara.

Mrs Usara said the fire incident occurred at Imaratus Sanan Hotel at noon on Saturday, while Nigerian pilgrims were fulfilling obligations in Mina.

“NAHCON regrets to inform the public of a fire incident that occurred earlier Saturday around 12:00 noon (KSA time), at one of the hotels accommodating Nigerian pilgrims on Shari Mansur Street in Makkah.

“The affected hotel, Imaratus Sanan, was hosting about 484 pilgrims from six Nigerian Private Tour Operator Companies. Thankfully, no lives were lost, and all pilgrims are safely in Mina.

“Immediate emergency response by Saudi authorities and the hotel management helped to contain the fire swiftly and prevent it from spreading all over the building,” Mrs Usara said.

According to her, following the incident, the Chairman/CEO of NAHCON, Abdullahi Saleh, visited the location promptly to assess the situation and ensure that the welfare of the affected pilgrims is prioritised

She said that Mr Saleh, a professor, was accompanied by NAHCON’s Commissioner for Policy Personnel Management and Finance, Aliu Abdulrazak and Deputy Makkah Coordinator, Alidu Shutti.

Meanwhile, Mr Saleh ordered immediate relocation of the affected Nigerian pilgrims to a new accommodation.

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The NAHCON chairman commiserated with the affected pilgrims, while assuring that the commission would provide every possible support within its capacity to cushion the impact of the incident.

He expressed thanks to Allah that no life was lost in the unfortunate incident.

He promised that NAHCON would work with the affected tour operators to ensure that affected pilgrims were relocated and provided with necessary assistance.

The chairman and his team appreciated the prompt response of the Saudi emergency services and the cooperation of the hotel staff in managing the situation. (NAN)