Death Toll Near Holy Site Climbs To 343

The death toll climbed to 343 on Wednesday from a tent city fire near Islam’s holiest site, while authorities struggled to save badly burned survivors and helped anguished relatives track down the missing.

The annual Muslim hajj went forward, with 2 million pilgrims praying at Mount Arafat. In their sheer numbers, they helped explain why the annual Muslim hajj seems destined to be jolted by tragedies like Tuesday’s blaze.

While the Saudi government has worked to keep up with the ever-growing influx, ensuring safety for the pilgrims is a monumental task. Each year the numbers grow, and so do demands for security and services.

On Wednesday, an Indian preacher demanded something be done so those who make the pilgrimage, or hajj, do not have to bring along small gas cooking stoves - believed to be the cause of the fire.