Quran copies escape massive mosque fire

A mysterious fire destroyed a mosque and its contents in Saudi Arabia but its copies of the holy Quran emerged unscathed, local newspapers said Friday.

Fire fighters were baffled at the cause of the blaze that erupted inside the mosque in the eastern province of Ihsaa just before dawn and equally unable to explain how the Quran copies were the only contents that were not touched by the fire.

The fire that erupted around 3am flared for several hours and destroyed the mosque, its furniture, loudspeakers and other items, the papers said.

“The civil defence men, the Imam (guardian) of the mosque and local residents could not explain how the fire erupted,” al Youm newspaper said.

“But the stranger thing is that all copies of the holy Quran were found safe and untouched by the fire although all other items were charred.”