3 Canadians, Pakistani, Nigerian among dead in Saudi fire

Saudi authorities said Monday that three Canadians, one Pakistani and a Nigerian woman were among 10 people killed in a fire at a residential complex rented by oil giant Saudi Aramco at the weekend.

The civil defence revised down from 11 the death toll for Sunday’s blaze at the complex in the kingdom’s Eastern Province, in a statement carried by state news agency SPA.

It said 259 people were wounded, but that 179 of those have been discharged.

The five others who died in the blaze were yet to be identified, according to the civil defence.

It said the fire was ignited by an electric short circuit in the underground parking where 130 cars were parked. It said that 35 vehicles were completely destroyed by the fire.

Saudi Aramco says it employs more than 61,000 workers worldwide from 77 countries.

Foreigners represent around a third of the kingdom’s population of 30.8 million.