RIYADH — For Saudi journalist Farhan Al-Matrafi, manager of Sada satellite channel, it was a normal day until Thursday's explosion involving a gas tanker in Riyadh changed his life. His house was located 900 meters away from the accident site, but the power of the blast shattered his house and injured his children. Two of his children who are four and 14 suffered quite serious injuries while his elder son suffered minor injuries because of the flying glass. Al-Matrafi said that one of his female relatives is lying in intensive care unit in a coma because of the explosion. Her condition is stable. The scene inside Al-Matrafi's house looked like a warzone. His doors were destroyed, kitchen shattered and he estimated the cost of repairs at around SR100,000. Many people are calling for stricter rules when it comes to trucks carrying gas and fuel. Thursday's explosion was a wakeup call for many residents who now fear driving next to a truck carrying flammable materials. Mansour Al-Ghamdi, a local resident, said he would think twice before he parks next to a fuel tanker. He added: “I have never thought about these tankers in my life. I see them as a normal vehicle and never thought about what would happen if God forbid something bad happened. “This number of people were killed and injured and it was only a Thursday morning. “Imagine if school started and the truck exploded in a busy street with many students on their way to school. “I pray to God that this accident never happens again.” A security source said that fuel and gas tankers have special safety specifications that prevent any type of explosion even if they get hit hard. He added: “The gas company enforces high safety standards to ensure no horrific accidents happen. “However, if these standards are not complied with, the results could be simply devastating.” Gas tankers have high safety levels, the source added, expressing shock at the explosion that resulted in the deaths of many people. This is the first time a gas truck has exploded in the Kingdom. The strict safety standards and measures enforced by gas companies have made it rare for such accidents to happen here, the source said. Local authorities have started an investigation into the accident to find out the cause of the gas leak. Initial findings indicate the gas valve on the truck might have been hit hard, leading to the explosion. The security source said the Civil Defense enforces strict regulations for all fuel tankers. Tankers are only allowed to enter the city after 9 p.m. as temperatures drop. If a fuel tanker fills a gas station's tank before this time, strict penalties will be imposed against the fuel tanker and the station, which could also be shut down. The source added all fuel stations strictly comply with and observe these regulations.
