‘Like hell’: Indoor heat overwhelms Saudi Arabia’s cooks, bakers

Baker Eid Ahmed just can’t get away from Saudi Arabia’s notorious heat: he makes bread next to a sweltering oven for 13 hours a day, only to step outside into summer temperatures that can soar past 45C.

Armed with an ice-cold water bottle and a wet cloth, the 35-year-old Egyptian was doing his best to stay cool while wearing his mandatory mask and hair cap.

“It’s hot outside, but inside, it’s like fire,” he said, shoving a board loaded with flatbreads into a large wood-fired oven.

“Standing…