Riyadh: Nine Bangladeshis and two Indians were killed in a fire in a furniture workshop in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh.
Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Mohammad Shahidul Islam described the incident as “terrible” and expressed sympathy with the victims’ families.
Two Bangladeshis, named Raju and Mainul, were running the factory for a Saudi national.
The two Indians, Mohammad Waseemand and Alam Mohammad from the north Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar respectively, died when the fire gutted a 600-square metre furniture factory in Badr district in Riyadh Monday, Arab News reported.
The fire was reported around 10pm and many firefighting and rescue teams reached the scene.
Surinder Bhagat, spokesman of the Indian embassy in Riyadh, said the local police were investigating the matter and would submit a report to the embassy.
“The bodies are being kept at the Shumaisi Hospital until the investigation is complete. The bodies can then be sent home,” the report quoted Bhagat as saying.
The civil defence spokesman earlier confirmed that all the victims are Asian expatriates.
Witnesses said most victims died of smoke inhalation. Some of the workers managed to escape unhurt, the report stated.
