Eleven foreigners died in a massive fire at a furniture workshop in Riyadh’s Badr district on Monday night, the Civil Defense said.
“The operation room at the Civil Defense in Riyadh received information about the fire at 10:13 p.m.,” the department said, adding that it sent 14 firefighting units, 15 support units and eight rescue teams to the site.
“Our teams reached the site within six minutes,” said Maj. Mohammed Al-Hamadi, department spokesman. The fire gutted the entire workshop, which spans 600 sqm.
Witnesses said most victims died of smoke inhalation. “Many of them could not get out of the place because of heavy smoke,” one witness said.
According to sabq.org electronic newspaper, most bodies could not be identified.
Meanwhile, another massive fire broke out in abandoned warehouses in the Taibah district of Madinah on Tuesday. It sent huge billows of smoke, threatening residents in the neighborhood. No one was injured.
Furniture shop fire in Riyadh kills 11 expats
