MECCA, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Rescuers worked through the night in an effort to reach Muslim pilgrims trapped in the rubble of a collapsed building in Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
At least 53 people are confirmed dead and 64 injured, the Saudi Interior Ministry told the BBC.
The death toll rose as rescuers used heavy-lifting equipment and sound-detecting gear in their drive to find more survivors. Two large cranes were cautiously removing rubble so as not to cause further collapse.
The multi-story al-Najd hostel, just outside Mecca's Great Mosque, fell as people prayed in the nearby streets. Saudi Red Crescent officials said the dead included pilgrims from Tunisia and Algeria.
More than 1 million Muslims are in Mecca for the Hajj, which attracts pilgrims from around the world.
