Fire at Saudi oil company residential complex kills 1, injured 30

Reuters

30 August, 2015, 13:40

Update: 30 August, 2015, 13:40

In this image released by the Saudi Interior Ministry’s General Directorate of Civil Defense, smoke billows from a fire at a residential complex used by state oil giant Saudi Aramco in Khobar, Saudi Arabia on 30 August 2015. Photo: Collected

Khobar: A fire at an oil workers residential compound in Saudi Arabia on Sunday claimed one casualty and injured 30 more of various nationalities, civil defence authorities said.

National oil company Saudi Aramco said the fire broke out in a basement of the Radium residential compound.

‘At 05:45 today a fire was reported in the basement of the Radium residential compound in Al Khobar which is leased by Saudi Aramco for its employees,’ Aramco said in a statement.

It said that civil defense and Saudi Aramco fire brigades were evacuating residents.

Colonel Ali Al-Qahtani, Eastern Province Civil Defense spokesman said evacuation efforts continue to save people from rooftops. Residents said helicopters were seen flying in the area.

According to Aramco's website, the Radium Residential Complex consists of eight six storey buildings and comprises 486 units.