Two Indians killed in Saudi Arabia factory fire

Riyadh, May 16 (IANS) Two Indians are among the 11 people killed in a fire in a furniture workshop in Saudi Arabia's Capital Riyadh, a media report quoted an Indian embassy official as saying Friday.

The two Indians, Mohammad Waseemand and Alam Mohammad from the north Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar respectively, died when the fire gutted a 600-sq. metre furniture factory in Badr district in Riyadh Monday, Arab News reported.

The ire was reported around 10 p.m. and many fire-fighting and rescue teams reached the scene.

Surinder Bhagat, spokesman of the Indian embassy in Riyadh, said the local police were investigating the matter and would submit a report to the embassy.

"The bodies are being kept at the Shumaisi Hospital until the investigation is complete. The bodies can then be sent home," the report quoted Bhagat as saying.

The civil defence spokesman earlier confirmed that all the victims are Asian expatriates.

Witnesses said most victims died of smoke inhalation. Some of the workers managed to escape unhurt, the report stated.

The nine other workers who died were Bangladeshis.

Bangladesh's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Mohammad Shahidul Islam described the incident as "terrible" and expressed sympathy with the victims' families.

Two Bangladeshis, named Raju and Mainul, were running the factory for a Saudi national.