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A large crane collapses in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, killing more than 100 people

A crawler crane collapsed over the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, around 5:10 p.m. on 11 September 2015, killing 111 people and injuring 394 others.

A crawler crane collapsed over the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, around 5:10 p.m. on 11 September 2015, killing 111 people and injuring 394 others. The city was preparing for the Hajj pilgrimage. The collapse has been cited as the deadliest crane collapse in history, with the previous most deadly incident being the collapse of a construction crane in New York City in 2008, killing seven people.

Following the collapses, the King of Saudi Arabia, Salman ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud, ordered a halt to the awarding of contracts to the Saudi Binladin Group, the primary contractor of construction works in the holy city.

Historical Significance

A crawler crane collapsed over the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, around 5:10 p.

Events Before

  1. Dutchman Michael van Gerwen wins his first PDC World Darts Championship, defeating Peter Wright of Scotland 7-4; it is t

    Dutchman Michael van Gerwen wins his first PDC World Darts Championship, defeating Peter Wright of Scotland 7-4; it is the first time no Englishman has been in the final

  2. English "Roxy Music" singer-songwriter Bryan Ferry [68] divorces second wife English public relations specialist Amanda

    English "Roxy Music" singer-songwriter Bryan Ferry [68] divorces second wife English public relations specialist Amanda Sheppard [32] after a year and a half of marriage

  3. Ukrainian Revolution of 2014 begins as protesters, riot police and unknown shooters take part in violent events in the c

    Ukrainian Revolution of 2014 begins as protesters, riot police and unknown shooters take part in violent events in the capital, Kiev, culminating after five days in the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych

  4. Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 with 239 people on board loses contact and disappears, prompting the most expensive searc

    Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 with 239 people on board loses contact and disappears, prompting the most expensive search effort in history and one of the most enduring aviation mysteries

  5. Russia formally annexes Crimea amid international condemnation

    In February and March 2014, Russia invaded the Crimean Peninsula of Ukraine, occupied it, and then annexed it after an illegitimate referendum.

Events After

  1. After floods along the Mississippi River kill 31 people, Exxon Mobil Corp decides to close a plant in flood-threatened M

    After floods along the Mississippi River kill 31 people, Exxon Mobil Corp decides to close a plant in flood-threatened Memphis

  2. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto announces the recapture of drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, six months after hi

    Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto announces the recapture of drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, six months after his escape from prison

  3. American singer-actress Katharine McPhee (31) divorces producer Nick Cokas (50) after 8 years of marriage

    American singer-actress Katharine McPhee (31) divorces producer Nick Cokas (50) after 8 years of marriage

  4. Pope Francis meets Patriarch Kirill in Havana in the first meeting between the heads of the Catholic and Russian Orthodo

    Pope Francis meets Patriarch Kirill in Havana in the first meeting between the heads of the Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches in nearly 1,000 years

  5. Barack Obama becomes the first US President to visit Cuba since 1928, arriving for a three-day tour with First Lady Mich

    Barack Obama becomes the first US President to visit Cuba since 1928, arriving for a three-day tour with First Lady Michelle

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Lithuania adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the Litas and becoming the 19th member of the Eurozone

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on September 11, 2015?
A crawler crane collapsed over the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, around 5:10 p.m. on 11 September 2015, killing 111 people and injuring 394 others. The city was preparing for the Hajj pilgrimage.
Why is A large crane collapses in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, killing more than 100 people significant?
A crawler crane collapsed over the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, around 5:10 p.

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September 11 in HistoryYear 2015