ALKHOBAR, 17 November 2003 — One man was killed and another seriously injured when their car hit a concrete barrier protecting a housing compound and went up in flames. The compound was undamaged.
A police official said the car lost control and hit the concrete barriers fencing the compound, spun around and exploded. The injured man has been rushed to hospital.
A Civil Defense team arrived at the scene immediately and extinguished the fire and retrieved the body, who was the injured man’s brother.
National Guard personnel and other officials reached the scene soon after and started investigating. The housing compound, Euro Village, is one of the oldest and most prestigious in the Eastern Province and houses Western and Asian as well as Arab expatriates. There are several other housing compounds in the neighborhood, which has been turned into a high-security area.
The accident caused panic among the residents of the compound and those living in the neighborhood. After the Riyadh explosion security has been tightened in the twin cities of Dammam and Alkhobar, especially around housing compounds, shopping malls, supermarkets and important installations. Any loud noise or police siren is enough to spread alarm.
But security officials were quick to dispel rumors and explained this had been an accident.
