SAUDI ARABIA: Health Minster Abdullah al-Rabiah expresses sympathy to victims of Riyadh fuel truck explosion

Record ID: 189062

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA: Health Minster Abdullah al-Rabiah expresses sympathy to victims of Riyadh fuel truck explosion
  • Date: 1st November 2012
  • Summary: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (NOVEMBER 1, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF EMERGENCY ENTRANCE OF KING SAUD HOSPITAL IN RIYADH ABDULLAH AL-RABIAH, SAUDI HEALTH MINSTER, LISTENING TO EXPLANATION FROM A DOCTOR ABOUT A WOUNDED MAN MORE OF DOCTOR TALKING ABOUT WOUNDED MAN CLOSE OF WOUNDED MAN ABDULLAH AL-RABIAH TALKING TO WIFE OF WOUNDED MAN WOUNDED MAN AND HIS WIFE CLOSE OF ANOTHER WOUNDED MAN HEART RATE MONITOR ABDULLAH AL-RABIAH TALKING TO DOCTOR CLOSE OF ABDULLAH AL-RABIAH WOUNDED MAN IN BED (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic), ABDULLAH AL-RABIAH, SAUDI HEALTH MINSTER, SAYING: "Unfortunately, a tragic accident occurred in the city of Riyadh and resulted in a big number of injuries and a number of deaths. With directions from the Custodian of the Two Holy mosques and the Crown prince we had visited all the patients in many hospitals. We are now in King Saud Medical City and the wounded people have been distributed to 11 hospitals and, thank god, most of the injuries were minor and we have orders to provide the best care for them." HELICOPTER FLYING OVER EXPLOSION AREA WINCH LIFTING DESTROYED CAR (SOUNDBITE) (English) , ABDULLAH AL-RABIAH, SAUDI HEALTH MINSTER, SAYING: "Today we had a tragic incident that has happened with many actually injuries that has occurred in Riyadh because of explosion of gas tank that has overlapped in the high way and they have been distributed to 11 hospitals. We have been directed by the custodian of the two holly mosques and the crown prince to convey our sympathy to them and also we hope that they get well soon." PARTLY DESTROYED BRIDGE VARIOUS OF DESTROYED CARS BULLDOZER WORKING IN SITE VARIOUS OF MEN TAKING OUT CD AND PAPER FILES FROM UNDER RUBBLE VARIOUS OF SAUDI RED CRESCENT AUTHORITY AMBULANCES STANDING BY AT THE LOCATION BULLDOZER VARIOUS OF TURKS DAMAGED BY EXPLOSION WORKERS CLEANING AREA STREET DUSTER CLEANING STREET
  • Embargoed: 16th November 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: Accidents,Politics,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA81UIQ59U3QZFG3OSSW1A2JC13
  • Story Text: Saudi Health Minister, Abdullah al-Rabiah, visited King Saud hospital on Thursday (November 1) to meet the victims who were injured in an explosion that hit the capital Riyadh on Thursday morning.
    At least 22 people were killed when a fuel truck crashed into a flyover in the Saudi capital, triggering an explosion that brought down an industrial building and torched nearby vehicles, officials and state media said.
    Speaking from the hospital, Al-Rabiah told Reuters that the patients will receive the best treatment.
    "Unfortunately, a tragic accident occurred in the city of Riyadh and resulted in a big number of injuries and a number of deaths. With directions from the Custodian of the Two Holy mosques and the Crown prince we had visited all the patients in many hospitals. We are now in King Saud Medical City and the wounded people have been distributed to 11 hospitals and, thank god, most of the injuries were minor and we have orders to provide the best care for them," he said.
    Health ministry spokesman Saad al-Qahtani said 135 people were injured in the disaster. He told state television they were mostly men and included some foreigners.
    The civil defence chief, Saed al-Tweijri, said the fire had been brought under control. He blamed the tanker driver for the accident.
    The warehouse, several storeys high, was levelled by the blast, which also caused severe damage to other neighbouring buildings. Rubble, twisted metal and shattered glass littered a wide stretch of the surrounding area.
    Dozens of burnt-out vehicles surrounded the scene of the blast, including a small bus and other cars on top of the flyover, which was left buckling after the incident.
    More than 100 emergency personnel were combing the wreckage on the flyover and searching for victims in the rubble of the building The blast, which struck at around 7.20 a.m. local time, was on one of the capital's busiest roads but because Saudi Arabia is still observing the Eid al-Adha holiday, traffic was lighter than normal.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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