A girl student of a community school in Jubail was crushed and seriously injured when a vending machine installed at the school fell on top of her. The girl, Maryam Essam Al-Husaini, died of serious head injuries at Jubail General Hospital on Monday evening. According to Maryman's classmates, a snack and juice vending machine fell on top of her and all attempts at pulling her out from under the giant machine failed. The school accountant, an Indian national who also doubles up as school driver, took the child, who was bleeding profusely, to the hospital. Maryam's classmates aleged that the vending machine was rusted, old and wobbly and that it crashed on top of the child as she was getting ready to pick a can of juice. According to a medical source at the hospital, Maryam, 6, could not be saved due to serious injuries to her skull. An official at the Department of Education in Jubail denied any knowledge of the incident, adding that his department does not supervise community schools. A number of parents criticized the condition of the school, saying that it was converted from housing quarters for workers. It is also alleged that the building has many exposed electric wires. Some parents said the vending machine was not firmly secured in place and that the school administration did not take prompt action to rescue the child. - Okaz __
