RIYADH, 2 May 2004 — Seven female students at King Saud University escaped death yesterday when their minibus exploded on Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin-Baz Street in Badeea district.
The explosion occurred when the vehicle’s fuel tank caught fire; fortunately the girls were able to escape before the explosion which completely destroyed the minibus.
“We had felt an increase in heat but we thought it was because of an air-conditioning malfunction. Then we saw black smoke coming from under the bus and we got off as quickly as we could,” explained one student.
The terrified students, some of whom suffered first and second degree burns, were taken to the Riyadh Central Hospital.
Majeda Saeed, who suffered burns on her hand, said the driver had stopped the bus when pedestrians indicated that flames were coming from under the minibus.
Another student, who suffered burns on her ears and back, said the driver could not control the fire as it spread rapidly. “We did not hesitate and jumped out of the bus quickly to save our lives.”
Marwa was one of the worst injured. According to hospital staff, she has burns on her legs, hand and face with 30 percent of the burns being first and second degree.
Refuting the students’ statements, the Saudi driver, said he had opened the door and helped students out of the bus. He also suffered burns on his face.
The traffic police said the driver was not responsible for the fire or the explosion. He stopped the minibus as soon as he realized that it was on fire.
