RIYADH, 5 May 2004 — Seven female university students were injured, one of them seriously, when the bus carrying them caught fire in Riyadh, press reports said yesterday.
The bus was taking the students from King Saud University to dormitories in Ilaisha district. The bus was evacuated without any fatalities but seven students were taken to hospital for treatment.
Ibrahim Al-Musaibeeh, the head of public relations at the university, confirmed that one student suffered burns to 40 percent of her body.
The other six were discharged.
Many witnesses said there was smoke coming from the vehicle before the fire appeared.
The fire department and police were immediately called to the scene of the accident. A number of bystanders tried to break the glass to help the students get out before the rescue workers arrived.
