Final Death Toll in Pipeline Explosion

According to a report in today's Arab News, the final death toll in Sunday's gas pipline explosion is 40 dead. Strangely enough, the number of injured has fallen from "at least 60" yesterday to nine of which six have already been discharged from hospital. The larger total seems more likely to me; today's figures may only refer to Aramco employees.

The nationalities of the dead are reported as follows:-

Among the 40 workers who lost their lives were 18 Pakistanis, seven Indians, seven Bangladeshis, six Saudis, one South African and one Nepalese, it said.

Only one Westerner (the South African) amongst the dead and only five Saudi Aramco employees; all the others worked for a contractor company. The lack of Western engineers involved confirms my suspicion that human error was the cause of the accident.

This is not to denigrate the abilities of Asian workers and technicians; many work long hours in dreadful conditions for little pay. They have, however, a different outlook on safety and the value of human life.

A friend of mine told me the following story (forgive me if I've told it before): he came into his office one morning and found an Indian electrician, precariously balanced on a chair, trying to repair a light fitting. My friend told the electrician to be careful. "Don't worry, sir", replied the electrician, "I have a brother"!