By Tale Al-Asmari

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

JUBAIL — The father of a toddler who died after falling inside a sewer hole put the blame for the accident squarely on the negligence of the contracting company.

Zakariya Muahmmad Yahya, who was only two and half years old, was playing in front of the house with his friends in the residential complex for the employees of Slain Water Conversion Corporation in Jubail.

The boy’s father told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that negligence was clear and there was no follow-up on open sewer holes, which are posing a danger to people.

Muhammad Yahya said the sewer cover was missing. The hole is three meters deep and it is located in an open area covered by small plants and grass and cannot be seen easily.

He said he was not aware of the hole and that it was open, otherwise he would have reported it to the responsible department.

The location was under maintenance by a contracting company, which was carrying out work there.

He said, “I was surprised by this accident. I received several calls on my phone but I was not able to answer them because I was busy at work. My elder son then came to my workplace and informed me about the accident. I came home shortly after the accident took place. I found security officers and Civil Defense personnel at the scene,” said the aggrieved father.

“My son was rushed to Jubail General Hospital but it was too late. He was already dead.”

The ambulance team and the Civil Defense had tried to revive his heart but without luck, he added.

The Saline Water Conversion Corporation, on the other hand, vowed to hold those responsible for the accident accountable.

The victim was not buried yet because investigations were ongoing.