RIYADH: Four children from a Saudi fencing coach’s family died in a house fire at Al-Omran in the Al-Ahsa governorate while they slept.
The fire broke out at the home of Captain Ali Ibrahim Al-Obaid, the coach of Al-Adalah Club’s fencing team, on Saturday night.
Al-Obaid told Asharq Al-Awsat that his sons had died from smoke inhilation.
He said: “My wife was outside the house while I was sleeping inside, but in a different corner of the house, and I was not aware of what was happening at the time.”
He added: “It is a rented house, and we do not know all the details, but according to the Civil Defense report there was an electrical short circuit that caused the fire.”
The victims of the fire were Heba, 10, Hussein, 9, Lian, 2, and Rahaf, 1.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Sports, the Saudi Fencing Federation, and the Olympic and Paralympic Committee joined others in sending their condolences to Al-Obaid.
Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal also expressed his sympathy.
The ministry tweeted: “The Ministry of Sports extends its deepest condolences and sympathy to Ali Ibrahim Al-Obaid, the coach of the fencing team at the Al-Adalah Club, on the death of his children.”
The Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee said: “Our sincere condolences and sympathy to the coach of the fencing team, and his family on the death of the children, hoping that God Almighty will dwell them in his spacious gardens and give family patience and solace to bear with the loss.”
Abdullah Alsunaid, a social media user, said: “May God have mercy on them.”
Al-Obaid thanked all those who had expressed sympathy following the tragic incident.
