At least 22 killed in Riyadh fuel truck blast: مقتل 22 شخصا واصابة 126 في انفجار صهريج غاز في الرياض

At least 22 killed in Riyadh fuel truck blast Thu, Nov 01 08:42 AM EDT 1 of 7 By Angus McDowall RIYADH (Reuters) - At least 22 people were killed when a fuel truck crashed into a flyover in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Thursday, triggering an explosion that brought down an industrial building and torched nearby vehicles, officials and state media said. Health ministry spokesman Saad al-Qahtani said 135 people were injured in the disaster. He told state television they were mostly men and included some foreigners. The civil defense department said a gas tanker had hit a bridge in eastern Riyadh, causing a gas leak and an explosion in a nearby heavy machinery and vehicles warehouse, according to the state news agency SPA. "The truck driver was surprised by a road accident on its route, causing it to crash into one of the pillars of the bridge," spokesman Captain Mohamed Hubail Hammadi said. Although the incident took place near the headquarters of the Saudi Arabian National Guard and the Prince Nayef Arab College for Security Sciences, officials speaking on state television said it was an accident. DRIVER BLAMED The civil defense chief, Saed al-Tweijri, said the fire had been brought under control. He blamed the tanker driver for the accident. The warehouse, several storeys high, was leveled by the blast, which also caused severe damage to other neighboring buildings. Rubble, twisted metal and shattered glass littered a wide stretch of the surrounding area. "I was inside the building when the blast came. Then boom, the building collapsed. Furniture, chairs and cabinets blasted into the room I was in," said survivor Kushnoo Akhtar, a 55-year-old Pakistani worker, who was covered in dirt and bleeding from multiple cuts on his face and hands. "My brother is still inside under the rubble. There are lots of people in there." The blast, which struck at around 7.20 a.m. local time, was on one of the capital's busiest roads but because Saudi Arabia is still observing the Eid al-Adha holiday, traffic was lighter than normal. An hour after the explosion, fires still raged in cars and trucks nearby and a column of black smoke billowed over the area. Dozens of burnt-out vehicles surrounded the scene of the blast, including a small bus and other cars on top of the flyover, which was left buckling after the incident. Television footage and pictures posted on social media showed a body lying by smoking vehicles and at least two charred bodies seated in a car. Another blackened corpse was visible in the remains of a truck. More than 100 emergency personnel were combing the wreckage on the flyover and searching for victims in the rubble of the building, which housed the operations of Zahid Tractor, a distributor of heavy machinery. (Reporting by Angus McDowall in Riyadh and Mirna Sleiman in Dubai,; Editing by Andrew Torchia and Mark Trevelyan) ========= مقتل 22 شخصا واصابة 126 في انفجار صهريج غاز في الرياض المحرر: OT الخميس 01 ت2 2012 13:32 GMT موقع الانفجار السومرية نيوز/بيروت اكد الدفاع المدني السعودي مقتل 22 شخصا واصابة 126 اخرين في انفجار صهريج غاز شرق الرياض صباح الخميس نتيجة حادث مروري خلف دمارا واسعا في الممتلكات والمركبات ايضا. واعلن مصدر في الدفاع المدني في تصريح صحافي ان "عدد وفيات انفجار شاحنة الغاز على طريق خريص صباح الخميس ارتفع الى 22 واصيب 126 اخرون بجروح". بدوره اوضح مدير عام الدفاع المدني الفريق سعد التويجري ان "ثلاثة اشخاص ما زالوا في عداد المفقودين"، لافتا في حديث لقناة الاخبارية الى "سوء تصرف سائق الشاحنة الذي يحمل جنسية دولة آسيوية". وتابع ان "الحريق الضخم نتيجة تسرب الغاز من الشاحنة امتد مسافة 300 متر من مكان اصطدامها بجسر تقاطع طريق خريص مع شارع الشيخ جابر" محذرا من "اصابات قد يتعرض لها حوالى 10 آلاف من المتجمهرين والمارة نتيجة تسرب الغاز الذي ماتزال آثاره قائمة" بحسب قوله. وقد اشارت حصيلة سابقة للدفاع المدني الى مقتل 15 شخصا على الاقل واصابة حوالى ستين في انفجار صهريج غاز. وكان الناطق باسم الدفاع المدني في الرياض محمد الحبيل الحمادي اكد في وقت سابق الخميس، ان "الانفجار حدث بعد ارتطام ناقلة غاز على طريق خريص شرق الرياض باحد الجسور الممتدة على الطريق اثر مصادفتها حادثا مروريا على خط سيرها ما ادى الى تسرب للغاز"، مضيفا في بيان ان "الغاز المتسرب انتشر خصوصا الى معرض مجاور للمعدات وللسيارات، وانفجر"، في اشارة الى شركة "الزاهد" المخصصة للمعدات والاليات الثقيلة والتي تمتد مبانيها ومستودعاتها على مساحة عشرين الف متر مربع، وتعرضت للتدمير. وذكر الحمادي ايضا ان "الحادث تسبب في حدوث اضرار كبيرة نتيجة الاحتراق والانفجار بفعل تشبع المكان بالغاز، كما تسبب ذلك في وقوع عدد من الحوادث المرورية بالموقع وسقوط عدد من الضحايا"، لم يحدد عددهم. يشار الى ان السلطات المعنية منعت المرور على الجسر الموصل الى طريق الدمام والذي تصدعت ركائزه بفعل قوة الانفجار والبالغ طوله نحو 3 كيلومترات وقررت اغلاقه الى اشعار اخر. يذكر ان المنطقة التي انفجر فيها الصهريج مصنفة صناعية وتجارية لكنها تضم بعض المباني السكنية وتعج في العادة بالسيارات والشاحنات والمارة. ============ Death toll rises to 39 in Venezuela refinery explosion (VIDEO, PHOTOS) Get short URL email story to a friendprint version Published: 25 August, 2012, 14:00 Edited: 26 August, 2012, 09:27 TAGS: Oil, Health, South America, Accident, Blast Image from Twitter/@MelMarcano, Video courtesy of youtube user Ray86shakedown (6.1Mb) embed video A large explosion has struck Venezuela’s largest oil refinery, killing 39 people and injuring more than 80. The blast did significant damage to the plant as well as nearby houses and is thought to have been caused by a gas leak. Among the dead include a 10-year-old boy, though 18 of the 39 who lost their lives were National Guard troops stationed at the refinery, Vice President Elias Jaua said after traveling to the afflicted area. He said authorities were working “to save the greatest number of lives.” At least 80 more were reported injured, nine of them seriously. Health Minister Eugenia Sader the other 77 had suffered light injuries and were released from hospital after receiving treatment. President Hugo Chavez declared there would be three days of mourning and gave his condolences to the victims' families. "This affects all of us," Chavez said while speaking on state television by phone. "It's very sad, very painful." He ordered a "deep" investigation to determine the cause of the blast. The explosion occurred at approximately 1:07am local time (6:07 GMT) on Saturday, producing a tremor that was felt in nearby communities, smashing windows and damaging buildings. Massive balls of fire were seen over the refinery, with black plumes of smoke filling the sky. "There was a gas leak," Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez told state TV. "A cloud of gas exploded … it was a significant explosion, there is significant damage to infrastructure and houses opposite the refinery." Local official Stella Lugo told Venezuelan state news that the situation was now under control. “There is no risk of another explosion. At the moment we are concentrating our efforts on helping the injured," said Lugo. Local authorities have restricted access to the refinery and the surrounding area in response to the blaze. Ivan Freites, secretary of the United Federation of Oil Workers told state news that at 12:30am local time (05:30 GMT) a propane-butane leak was reported at the plant. “The senior staff at the plant said they had used foam to control the leak and eliminate the risk of a fire,” said Freites. He added that the explosion could have been triggered by a problem with a gas valve that led to a pressure buildup. The Amuay refinery produces 955,000 barrels a day, making it one of the largest in the world. Despite the refineries economic importance, Venezuela‘s Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said the country’s current fuel supplies were sufficient to guarantee there would be no major disruption in meeting domestic needs or continuing exports despite the blast. Image from Twitter/@Anagabymakeup Image from Twitter/@malvapica Image from Twitter/@LaQuigua Image from Twitter/@StellaLugo ===========================

Karachi factory fire: Fearing fallout, industry keeps its distance

By Our Correspondents Published: September 14, 2012 “Our association does not have the power to check every member factory of ours,” says chairman PRGMEA Shahzad Saleem.PHOTO: AFP ISLAMABAD / KARACHI: The inferno at the Karachi garment factory was contained by Thursday but has left several burning issues behind. Fearing fallout from the inferno, the export-oriented textile industry tried to keep its distance from the ill-fated factory, but also called upon a thorough investigation of the incident. “It is a big incident and we cannot ignore it,” said, chairman Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) Shahzad Saleem. The association has 650 members, and Ali Enterprises, the Karachi factory where 259 workers perished, was a member. “Our association does not have the power to check every member factory of ours,” Saleem said when asked what PRGMEA does for safety inspections. “The buyer that places an order with a local company does its own audit of the factory,” he said. Businessmen and leading associations in Karachi, who have links with Ali Enterprises, are not ready to share any information, fearing backlash towards their own businesses. The associations are silent on who buys the products of Ali Enterprises, and how the factory received its audit clearance from local authorities and foreign buyers. The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), which the factory was a member of, issued a press release on Thursday, offering condolences to the affected families. The chamber also pointed out that the incident will give a bad name to the country. “If timely action is not taken to address safety problems and action against those who are responsible for this incident, it would have a negative impact on Pakistani exports, which are already on a decline,” the release said. Illegal constructions Officials of SITE, the industrial estate where the factory is located, said owners of Ali Enterprises had illegal constructions on the premises, against the approved factory map. SITE officials said the maps of basement, ground floor, first and second floor contained emergency exits, but the owners altered the design later. Imran Khan visits factory Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Thusday visited the garment factory and offered his condolences to the victims’ heirs Separate laws for the influential and the weak led to this incident, Khan said. “More than 100 industrial incidents in the last one year expose faulty labour laws and the present government’s indifference to the working class,” he added. He demanded compensation for the victims and a review of safety and social security rules. ILO offers assistance The local chapter of International Labour Organization (ILO) expressed shock over the Karachi fire incident and offered support to the victim’s families ILO Country Director Francesco d’Ovidio will meet the Secretary, Sindh Labour Department on September 14 to discuss ILO’s support for the families of the victims and to help improve labour inspection to prevent such incidents in future, said a press release issued by the agency on Thursday. ILO will also offer institutional capacity building of the Sind Labour Department to improve its efficiency. It offered skills training scholarships to 500 members of the victim’s families and offered technical assistance on rapid training of labour inspectors in Sindh, on promoting fire safety at workplace. Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2012. ============ Those Lives Could be Saved! Farheen Rizvi on 14, Sep 2012 | Be the first to comment | in Category: Insight 73 17 8 145 Farheen Rizvi Karachi, the Sleepless City Part 2 Karachi, the Sleepless City Institutions versus Personalities Suicide of a Seventh Grader Think Beyond Politics for Smaller Units Rate this blog: (average:5.00 out of 5) The garment factory in Karachi has claimed more than 280 lives by now and death toll is constantly rising. According to Pakistani media, it was their salary day and the five story building was full of employees. According to some international media the denim garments stitched in the factory was exported to the international market. The pictures and footages of the factory on the media showed that windows were guarded with bars and grills which were giving the impression that the owner of the factory was more concerned for safeguarding the garments than its employees. According to international media the owners of the factory are two brothers and one of them is out of the country while the other one is on the run, which is a natural reaction by an owner after such incident. In USA, in March of 1911, fire broke into the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory which was located on the top levels of a ten-story Building in Manhattan. Fire quickly spread and killed more than 500 workers, most of them were immigrant women, as young as 12 years old, from Russia, Italy, Germany, and Hungary. In the result of this horrible disaster rules of municipal, state, and federal association were reformed to ensure the better working conditions for the workers, and stronger unions in the garment industry was made to bargain on safety and working conditions and to lobby for legislative reforms. In 2010, 25 workers were killed in Dhaka, when the fire broke into a clothes factory. According to Dhaka Police some of the people were killed due to jumping from that 11-story building. BBC reported after this incident in Bangladesh that “frequent accidents in factories have triggered calls for more inspections to check fire safety in large industrial units”. The Western companies issue accountability certificate “social compliance” also called SA8000 which not only includes the particular organization’s practices but also include its supply and distribution chains. In the process of issuing this certificate the involved parties keep on looking for better ways to protect the health,safety, and fundamental rights for their employees, and also protect and enhance the community and environment in which they operate. If the garment and other factories in Asia are the part of their supply chain to the big giants sitting in the western Countries like USA and Europe, then it is also a responsibility of those companies to properly inspect the working conditions of those factories where the cheap labor is working day and night to fulfill their orders. Most of the workers get killed in the incidents of garments factories are women on daily wages who come out of their houses by challenging the culture of their countries to support their children and young siblings. The Western companies should work hard by taking charge of this responsibility by sending their officials on regular inspections to those factories as they save a lot on labor expense in Western countries. These workers put lots of efforts to fulfill their orders in conditions where they face shortage of electricity, strikes, threats from gangs and mafias and instability in and politics economy. They are not insured for health and life and if they don’t show up for some reason, they lose money for their daily living. The daily incidents of fire in countries like India, Bangladesh and Pakistan are the wakeup call for Western companies to re-evaluate the licenses of their suppliers and put extra efforts to protect and the lives of those who are working days and nights to complete their orders through which they make billions in profit. =================== HRCP slams deaths in factory fires Lahore, September 12: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed grief and grave concern at the death of at least 250 people in devastating fires that gutted two factories in Karachi and Lahore and demanded immediate attention to ensuring safe working conditions for factory workers across the country. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Commission said: “HRCP is deeply saddened and acutely concerned both by the high toll of life claimed by fires at factories in Lahore and Karachi on Tuesday as well as the factors that contributed to the tragic incidents. According to media report, the death toll at a garments factory in Karachi stands at around 230 and many people are injured or unaccounted for. It appears that only a few workers in the factory at the time of the fire could get out safely. There were 35 workers in the shoe factory in Lahore when the fire erupted there. At least 25 of them have now been confirmed dead and all of the rest are injured. “The government has announced probes into the incidents but many of the factors that contributed to the fires and the high death toll are known to most people who have even a casual interest in working conditions at such establishments. It is already known that absence of multiple exit-entry points prevented the workers from escaping the infernos in time. The factory in Lahore only had one entry/exit point. In Karachi, many workers suffered broken bones as they jumped out of windows of the four-storey building to save their lives. Highly inflammable substances were stored without safety measures and lack of fire alarms and fire-fighting equipment aggravated the situation. “While the government probes the causes of these terrible incidents, it should also investigate and share with the people why these factories were allowed to operate without observing safety measures. Why were these factories not challaned for unsafe storage of substances? Why had no one paid attention to lack of multiple entry/exit points and absence of safe evacuation plans in case of emergency? “It is obvious that in both cases the proprietors had prioritized profit above all else and showed utter disregard for workers’ safety, but was the government not supposed to watch out for the interests of the workers including safe working conditions for them? The head of the fire-fighting operations in Karachi has noted that the factory was “dangerous”, “flimsily built” and that there were no emergency exits. Why did all of that escape official attention earlier? “The entire fire-fighting fleet of Karachi, including those from the navy, the air force and the Karachi Port Trust, struggled for long hours to douse the flames. Their efforts are laudable but the capacity to fight fires even in the country’s biggest city is questionable at best. Things are worse elsewhere in Pakistan. It is hoped that the official probes will look at that aspect as well. “Our heart goes out to the victims and their families. We hope and demand that the government will announce adequate compensation for the families of the deceased and provide the best medical care possible to the injured. HRCP also calls upon the government to initiate criminal proceedings against the factory owners and ensure in consultation with workers’ representative, safe working conditions at the workplace as well as initiate effective monitoring of workplaces by inspectors to prevent such tragic incidents in the future.” Zohra Yusuf Chairperson ================== Italy-based firm under fire for Karachi factory disaster By Farhan Zaheer Published: November 1, 2012 Italy-based company RINA had issued a SA8000 certificate to Ali Enterprises just three weeks before the fire broke out on September 11, 2012. SA8000 is a compliance certification granted after an audit of a company’s policies, procedures and documentation, to ensure a safe workplace. PHOTO: AFP/ FILE KARACHI: The devastating inferno at a garment factory in Baldia Town, which claimed the lives of over 250 workers, raises some pressing concerns over the credibility of international safety certifications granted to local companies. Italy-based company RINA had issued a SA8000 certificate to Ali Enterprises just three weeks before the fire broke out on September 11, 2012. SA8000 is a compliance certification granted after an audit of a company’s policies, procedures and documentation, to ensure a safe workplace. “We have been continuously voicing concerns about local factories not following the labour laws of Pakistan completely,” Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (Piler) Executive Director Karamat Ali told The Express Tribune. He added the practice of acquiring such certifications was a good one, but did not really reflect the working conditions of these factories. “If Ali Enterprises was following basic safety standards, the fire would not have resulted in the loss of precious lives.” Ali said Piler was contacted by RINA after the disaster. “We told them (RINA) that they are equally responsible for the incident. It shows that SA8000 was not being implemented at the factory, and raises serious doubts about the authenticity of these international certifications.” Ali Enterprises was part of the Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA), which has over 600 members. PRGMEA officials said their investigations regarding Ali Enterprises are ongoing and that they are also conducting audits of other factories which are members of the association to ensure safety and other standards are being followed. Organisations fighting for labour rights, however, are wary of the government’s efforts regarding ongoing investigations, which are being spearheaded by retired judges. Piler has demanded the government to form a commission of sitting judges to probe the matter. Organisations working for labour rights in Europe and the United States are also in touch with their counterparts in Pakistan such as Piler. They believe RINA is using delaying tactics in the Ali Enterprises case. RINA did not respond to queries until the filing of this story. A global organisation called The Clean Clothes Campaign maintains KIK, a low cost German brand which supplied raw material to Ali Enterprises, is not willing to share information about customers of Ali Enterprises. KIK recently announced its decision to pay $2,000 as compensation to the families of each victim of the fatal accident, but activists say it needs to do more. Who will watch the watchdogs? The SA8000 certification process is managed by the Social Accountability Accreditation Services (SAAS), an independent body formed by Social Accountability International (SAI). SAI is a non-governmental organisation working to promote workers rights in several countries. Currently, 21 certification bodies are accredited by SAAS to conduct SA8000 certifications, and RINA, Italy is one of them. RINA has its office in Karachi and has so far certified 100 companies in Pakistan. It has, however, stopped giving new certifications after the fire. The accreditation process is similar to licensing, wherein SAAS evaluates a firm’s capacity to thoroughly audit a workplace. Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2012. ==================

Ford recalls 484,600 Escape SUVs for throttle problem

Thu, Jul 26 15:52 PM EDT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co is recalling 484,600 older model Ford Escape SUVs, most of them in the United States, because their throttles can be stuck open, U.S. safety regulators said. Ford Escapes from the 2001-2004 model years with three-liter, V6 engines are affected by the recall. A week ago, Ford recalled about 11,500 new 2013 model year Escape SUVs with 1.6-liter EcoBoost engines due to a fire risk related to fuel lines. Ford asked consumers to keep the Escapes parked rather than drive them to dealerships for repair. For the 2001-2004 model years recall, 423,634 of the affected vehicles are in the United States, and 35,000 in Canada, 19,000 in Mexico, 4,500 in Europe and 4,300 in other regions, Ford said. In Europe, the model is called the Maverick. The issue involves the cruise control cable on the Escapes, and safety regulators are investigating whether it was a factor in the death of a teenager in Arizona earlier this year. The regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said there have been 68 reported complaints of stuck throttles including nine injuries and the Arizona fatality. Last week, NHTSA announced an investigation into Ford Escape and Mazda Motor Corp Tribute SUVs. Ford and Mazda jointly developed the 2001-2004 Escape and Tribute models. Mazda has been working "hand-in-hand with Ford and NHTSA" on the stuck throttle investigation but by Thursday had not issued a recall of the Tribute SUVs from 2001-2004, said a company spokesman. Regarding the Ford recall, NHTSA said, "Inadequate clearance between the engine cover and the speed (cruise) control cable connector could result in a stuck throttle when the accelerator pedal is fully or almost-fully depressed." "NHTSA's investigation into this issue remains open, pending the agency's review of the documents provided by Ford in its recall action," NHTSA said. "Moving forward, NHTSA will continue to monitor any future issues involving a stuck throttle or unintended acceleration in these vehicles to ensure there are no additional safety risks that warrant further action." The recall came after NHTSA opened an investigation into the matter last week. (Reporting By Bernie Woodall; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Carol Bishopric and Steve Orlofsky) == Toyota recalls 760,000 RAV4s Wed, Aug 01 17:52 PM EDT (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp said on Wednesday it is recalling about 760,000 Toyota RAV4 utility vehicles and 18,000 Lexus HS 250h hybrid vehicles in the United States to correct a defect in rear suspension. The RAV4 cars were made from model years 2006 through 2011, while only 2010 models of the HS 250h were affected. Toyota said it had not yet developed a fix for the problem, which it said involves rust formation that could lead to wear and eventual separation of the rear suspension arms. Toyota said it will notify owners when a solution is available. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in a defect investigation opened June 4 into a similar problem with 2006-2008 Toyota RAV4s, said the rear suspension arm assembly "may fail due to corrosion, potentially causing a loss of vehicle control." The federal agency said at the time it was probing about 460,000 RAV4s. NHTSA said it had received seven complaints alleging corrosion-related failure of suspension arms on the RAV4. (Reporting By Paul Lienert in Detroit; Editing by David Gregorio)