SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi, Pak officials trying to identify victims of Riyadh building collapse; death toll rises to 3

January 10, 2018

Irfan Mohammed

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH
— Authorities are working to identify three Pakistani workers who lost their lives in a workplace accident in Riyadh on Tuesday.

The Pakistani workers died when a portion of an old building they were dismantling collapsed on them. None of the workers carried their identity papers at the time of the accident.

It is a common practice among people performing heavy labor to keep their valuables such as money, mobile phone and civil IDs in a safe place while at work.

According to preliminary information obtained from their injured colleagues and the main contracting company, it was established that deceased workers were from Pakistan.

The Pakistan Embassy is working with the Saudi authorities to identify the dead.

According to Pakistani official sources two workers were killed on the spot and a third who was found under the debris in critical condition succumbed to the injuries in hospital, taking the death toll to three.

The workers, who belonged to a private sub-contractor, were dismantling a portion of the old laboratory building of King Saud Medical Complex as part of a renovation project. The building is commonly known as Shumaisy Hospital, the largest public health facility in Riyadh.

However, the collapsed part of the building was isolated and marked for construction activity. The accident had no impact on the main hospital complex, according to the authorities.

Dr. Turki Al-Nafisa, acting director of King Saud Medical Complex, visited the injured victims in the hospital. The Civil Defense and police have launched investigations into the accident.


January 10, 2018
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