LOC19:10
16:10 GMT
RIYADH, Nov 1 (KUNA) -- The death toll of a gas tanker explosion, which
occurred on Khurais Road on Thursday morning, rose to 22, announced Director
General of Civil Defense, Lieutenant General Saad bin Abdullah Al-Tuwaijri.
In a press statement, Al-Tuwaijri added that over 111 injured with 3
persons still missing.
The incident occurred because of the misconduct of the tanker driver who is
a national of an Asian country, he said, noting that the civil defense as it
was notified about the incident applied a contingency plan.
He expounded that a huge fire had erupted as a result of the gas leak from
the tanker which extended to a distance of 300 meters from the site of the
collision of the tanker with a flyover of Khurais Road intersection with
Sheikh Jaber Street in Riyadh.
Al-Tuwaijri warned of injuries that might occur to about 10,000 people of
the crowds and passers-by, who had gathered to watch the incident as a result
of the gas leak, stressing that the gas leakage effects still exist, saying
that the gathering of 10,000 citizens and residents at the scene exposes them
to risks and hamper the works of civil defense men.
He asked the media to warn the people against approaching the scene of the
incident and he offered his condolences to the families of the victims.
For his part, the Commander of Ring Roads and Secret Police Traffic in
Riyadh Lieutenant Colonel Ali Al-Qahtani said that Khurais Road is closed from
both directions until the completion of consequences of the incident,
expecting that the Road will not open before Friday. (end)
yms.ibi
KUNA 011910 Nov 12NNNN