The number of people killed in the explosion of a fuel truck in the Saudi Arabia capital Riyadh has rose to 26, said the Ministry of Health on Friday. The dead included Saudis and foreigners of several nationalities, the ministry said in a statement.
The accident, one of the worst in recent times in the oil-rich kingdom, occurred on Thursday when the truck exploded after hitting a concrete flyover in the east of Riyadh.
Fuel leaked from the truck, causing multiple vehicles to crash and setting several of them ablaze, said security officials.
Saudi authorities said on Thursday that at least 22 people had been killed in the accident, which they blamed on reckless driving by the truck driver.
The driver, who was not Saudi, survived the accident, said security officials. They gave no further details about his condition or nationality.
The accident came two days after at least 28 people were killed in a wedding party blaze in the east of the kingdom.
