The authorities have started DNA testing of family members and victims in an effort to identify the dead following a fiery fuel truck explosion that killed 22 people and damaged property worth millions of riyals Thursday.

“Already some samples have been taken for DNA testing,” said Khaled Al-Mirghalani, spokesman for the Ministry of Health.

Al-Mirghalani said that “16 Saudi citizens injured in the explosion are undergoing medical treatment in Riyadh as of now.”

He said the DNA tests on bodies currently under way would help ascertain the nationality of the victims.

He pointed out that the testing on all the bodies would take a few days. This is bound to exacerbate the worries of the victims’ family members who had been eager to bury their dead.

Some victims were burned beyond recognition and require DNA testing to determine their identities, said a hospital source on the condition of anonymity. “The number of victims and the condition of their remains have made the identification of the dead difficult for forensic experts,” the source said.

Civil Defense Capt. Mohammed Al-Hubail Al-Hammadi said the government had set up an investigative panel to look into the problems being faced by the people in the wake of the explosion. He called on those affected by the explosion to approach the newly formed committee. The affected include individuals, homeowners and companies, Al-Hammadi added.

He said: “The committee will start its works on Friday at the headquarters of Special Emergency Forces of Civil Defense in the Al-Salam neighborhood, east of Riyadh.”

The Ministry of Health spokesman said the accident site is now safe and free from any residues of the gas leakage.

“Also, there in no increase in the death toll,” said Al-Mirghalani.

Among the injured currently being treated in hospitals are 16 Saudis and 67 of various nationalities. Forty are not identified yet. Of the total number of injured, 34 have been discharged from hospitals, while 83 are still receiving treatment. Twelve of them are in intensive care units of different hospitals.

“Five bodies of Pakistani workers have been identified,” said Pakistani Ambassador Mohammed Naeem Khan, who took a round of three city hospitals yesterday.

Khan, who was accompanied by two community welfare attaches, Syed Hammad Abid and Mueenuddin, also met with senior hospital officials and doctors attending on the patients.

Surinder Bhagat, a spokesman of the Indian Embassy, said seven Indian expatriates had been admitted to hospitals for treatment so far. “Five of them are from the southern Indian state of Kerala, while one is from Hyderabad,” said Bhagat, adding that the identity of the seventh person is not known so far. He said no death among Indians has been reported.

“At least one Filipino was killed while 10 others were hospitalized,” said a Filipino hospital staff.

In an interview with radio dzBB yesterday, Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman Raul Hernandez said the victim, Florentino Santiago, had been identified by his brother-in-law. Santiago and his relative were working in Riyadh.

“The accident occurred Thursday when the truck exploded after hitting a concrete guardrail of an overpass in east Riyadh, where many Filipinos work,” he said. The driver survived the accident, said security officials yesterday. They gave no further details about his condition or nationality.