A total of eleven migrant labourers died of asphyxiation in the southern province of Najran, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday in a fire. (Source: Google Maps)
A total of eleven migrant labourers died of asphyxiation in the southern province of Najran, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday in a fire, which engulfed the windowless house they shared, Saudi authorities said. The civil defence in the southern province of Najran tweeted,”Firefighters put out a blaze in an old house lacking windows for ventilation. Eleven people died of asphyxiation, and six others were injured.” According to a report from news agency AFP, the casaulities were from India and Bangladesh.
The labourers killed in the tragedy, were working in a construction company and were residing near a gold market area in Faisaliah district. As per a report from news agency PTI, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh failed to provide any details of the incident.
Meanwhile, Najran Governor Prince Jluwi bin Abdelaziz has ordered a committee to be set up to investigate the fire incident. He also said that the companies should refrain from renting out buildings which are not fit for living. As per an official figure released in 2015, around nine million foreign workers reside in the oil-rich kingdom, mostly from the South Asian region.
The Union Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj responding to a tweet regarding assistance in bringing back the remains of a man who died in the house fire, said she is aware of the tragedy and is constantly monitoring the situation.
Her tweet read, “I am aware of the fire tragedy in Najran in which we have lost 10 Indian nationals and six injured are in the hospital. I have spoken to Consul General Jeddah. Najran is 900 Kms from Jeddah. Our staff is rushing by the first flight available. Our Consul General is in touch with the Governor of Najran. He is updating me on regular basis.”
I am aware of the fire tragedy in Najran in which we have lost 10 Indian nationals and six injured are in the hospital. /1 http://t.co/feOTqPnn2E
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 12, 2017
I have spoken to Consul General Jeddah. Najran is 900 Kms from Jeddah. Our staff is rushing by the first flight available. /2
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 12, 2017
Our Consul General is in touch with the Governor of Najran. He is updating me on regular basis. /3
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 12, 2017
