MAKKAH – An African woman was killed in a fire that broke out in an apartment building in Makkah on Sunday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Civil Defense spokesman Maj. Naif Al-Shareef said the four-story building in the holy city's Al-Shawqiyah district was occupied by a large number of families. He said the fire started in a room in one of the apartments on the first floor.

Maj. Al-Shareef said the Civil Defense received a report about the fire at 9:50 a.m. and emergency teams were immediately deployed to the area.

Firefighters and rescue teams evacuated the building, which was filled with thick smoke. They managed to extinguish the fire before it spread to other parts of the building.

Maj. Al-Shareef said Civil Defense teams started an investigation into the incident in coordination with the pertinent authorities. — SG/SPA