Khaled Al-Farsi Okaz/Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – A Filipino driver who is being investigated in connection with a recent gas tanker explosion in Riyadh has admitted speeding before the explosion, police said. Ruben Kebeng said he tried to stop but the brakes didn't work well enough for him to reduce speed. “I tried to control the truck but the brakes failed and it hit the bridge.” When asked by officers if he was aware of the fact that he was transporting hazardous materials, he responded that he was aware but did not expect even in his wildest dream for such an incident to happen. Asked if he checked the brakes before leaving the company's warehouse, he said he usually receives the truck fully loaded and just drives the vehicle to its designated destination. He added that he did not have any idea if the truck was checked or maintained. He claimed that he came out of the truck to talk to the authorities, but could not make out how he could communicate with them because he spoke little Arabic. He said he attempted to escape from the accident scene because he was afraid. He said police arrested him despite being injured in the accident and needing treatment. He said he arrived in the Kingdom only one year ago. Meanwhile, the gas company denied it would bear all financial losses resulting from the accident, saying its manager was misquoted. It said the manager said affected parties should see a committee formed by the Civil Defense in Riyadh's Al-Salam district to see if they were entitled to any compensation. The Civil Defense fixed Sunday as the last day for assessing damage and compensation from the explosion. It urged those affected by the incident to contact the committee before it submitted its final report.
