13 injured in collapse of under-construction roof in Mecca Mall

AMMAN — Thirteen Egyptian workers were injured on Thursday in a partial collapse of the roof of an under-construction expansion of Mecca Mall in west Amman, a Civil Defence Department (CDD) statement said. 

The collapse occurred early in the morning while workers were pouring the concrete, said the CDD statement. 

The injured were hospitalised at King Hussein Medical City, were they were listed in fair condition, CDD Media Director Brig. Gen. Farid Sharaa told The Jordan Times. 

“We used all the measures including search and rescue dogs to find and rescue trapped people,” Sharaa said. 

CDD Director Lt. Gen. Talal Kofahi, Amman Governor Khaled Abu Zeid and Public Security Department Director Maj. Gen. Atef Saudi were present in the accident’s location.

Abu Zeid ordered the formation of a specialised committee to look into the cause of the collapse and to take the required measures to ensure the continuation of work on the project in line with safety standards.

Raed Haddadin, director of the building control department at the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM), said in a statement that the primary reason for the collapse is that the roof was not properly supported.

“[The collapse] is the responsibility of the owner, engineering firm and the contractor,” said Haddadin in the statement. 

He noted that the project acquired all the required licences from GAM.