JEDDAH, 2 January 2007 — A fire at a gas station on the Old Makkah Road on Monday night resulted in two workers, a Bangladeshi and a Yemeni, being rushed to hospital suffering from third-degree burns.
Civil Defense officials said the blaze started at around 9 p.m. at the Bin Yamean Gas Station at the end of the Old Makkah Road leading to the downtown Balad district.
“The fire started in a small kitchen that was used by employees at the gas station. It then spread to the gas pumps, which were luckily empty at the time because cleaning work was in progress,” said Capt. Abdullah Al-Amri, spokesman for the Civil Defense in Jeddah.
The two workers were taken to the King Abdul Aziz Hospital for treatment. Their condition is said to be critical.
Al-Amri said having a kitchen on the premises was a clear violation of the Civil Defense safety regulations. “Three Civil Defense teams were sent to control the fire. An investigation is under way,” he added.
