Al-AHSA — A Saudi boy and a Filipino worker narrowly escaped death when a tank at a gas station in a remote village in the Al-Ahsa governorate exploded. The worker and the boy, identified as Mohammed Baqir Al-Jabran, sustained serious burns as a result of the explosion, Al-Hayat newspaper reported on Wednesday. The boy's father Baqir called for closing down all gas stations located near homes in residential areas, describing them as “ticking time bombs”. Three cars parked near the petrol station were damaged in the explosion. Al-Jabran said he went to the gas station with his son on Monday to change the lubricant and service his car before traveling to another area with the family. He said his son asked him for money to buy sweets from a nearby grocery store. He said: “I watched my son going to the shop. “I also saw Yemeni and Filipino workers heading toward the tank. “My son came back from the grocery and sat near the tank watching the two workers changing a filter. Suddenly I saw a spark coming out of the tank, followed by a huge explosion.” The father said he heard his son screaming with his hair on fire. He said: “I extinguished the fire, covered him with a blanket and took him to Prince Saud Bin Jalawi Hospital.” The father said the doctor on duty asked him to transfer his son to King Fahd Hospital. He said: “I refused to admit my son to the hospital because I would not be able to accompany him. “I took him home but next day his condition worsened and I had to take him to the hospital again.” The father said though he arrived at the hospital at 8 a.m., the doctor only saw his son at 12 noon and decided to admit him. “I will ask the gas station for the treatment costs and compensation for the burns my son suffered.” Eyewitnesses said the Yemeni worker asked his Filipino colleague to change the filter in the tank without getting permission. They said the Filipino worker's burns were extremely bad. An Asian worker died and others suffered various burns when a tank in a gas station in Dammam exploded a few months ago.
