RIYADH, 24 March 2006 — An early morning fire gutted an 11-room accommodation of eight Filipinos and one Pakistani national, all employees of Khalda Group, in Rawdah District on Tuesday. According to a Khalda Group supervisor, the Pakistani later died. One of the three Filipinos injured in the fire was still in hospital yesterday.
The fire broke out at around 1:30 a.m. in the stock room of their accommodation, Randy Bradicina, one of the survivors, said. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the fire.
Bradicina recalled that one of his colleagues smelled something burning and awakened him. They immediately went out of their room to check, and when they opened the door, fire almost engulfed them.
“I rushed to knock every door and wake up my other colleagues, and I was shouting that there was a fire,” Bradicina said.
He said, one by one, his colleagues came out of their rooms as heavy smoke engulfed the one-story accommodation.
Three of the Filipinos who had to cross the burning hall suffered first and second degree burns on their faces and arms. Paramedics who came after half an hour brought them to the nearby Al-Iman Hospital for first aid. They were later transferred to Shumeisy Hospital, according to Nick Romero, personnel and operations supervisor of Khalda.
Two of the Filipinos, Rey Almero and Efren Guerra, suffered first and second degree burns and were discharged immediately.
Joemar Abejaron, another Filipino victim, who suffered third-degree burns had to remain in the ICU, but Romero said that Abejaron is now in stable condition.
Bradicina recalled that he saw Abejaron running out for safety with his hair burning.
Romero said that treatment of Almero and Guerra would continue while they are temporarily accommodated in Malaz District together with other Khalda Group employees. He also said that Khalda management had assured a “100 percent” support to the victims.
Hashim, the Pakistani national, was not lucky enough to escape the fire. His charred body was later found in the gutted accommodation, said Romero. Bradicina said that he even called Hashim and the latter answered him twice, but on the third call, there was no response from Hashim.
Romero assumed that the Pakistani national panicked because he was not yet familiar where to exit from the burning porta-cabin. He said that Hashim had been transferred to the company only a couple of weeks ago and had no idea of emergency building exits.
Colleagues of the injured, both Filipinos and of other nationalities, provided food, beddings, and other items of personal needs, immediately as all the belongings of the victims were gutted
