Death Toll From Saudi Aramco Natural Gas Pipeline Blast Rises To 38

[hatrack]

DAMMAM, 20 November 2007 — The death toll from Sunday’s natural gas pipeline explosion in the Eastern Province rose to 38 as a special technical panel set up by Saudi Aramco continued its probe yesterday to determine the reason for the blast and the subsequent fire, informed sources said.

Dr. Abdul Mohsen Al-Mulhim, director of King Fahd Hospital in Hofouf, said his hospital received seven Pakistanis injured as a result of the explosion. They were carrying out maintenance work at the Haradh-Othmaniya gas pipeline, 30 km from Hawiyah Gas Plant. At least 60 people were injured in the accident.

Abdallah Jum’ah, CEO of Saudi Aramco, accompanied by a number of his aides, visited the site of the accident to know the reasons for the explosion. Most bodies could not be recognized and required DNA tests to identify them.

King Fahd Hospital in Hofouf was reportedly holding 27 bodies and its mortuary was full. The remaining bodies were transferred to Safa Public Hospital. Saleh Al-Boushalaibi, who was a supervisor at Aramco (also a former captain of Al-Fatah Club), and Saad Al-Awad, a civil defense officer at the oil company, were among the dead.

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