Fatima Muhammad

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — A Saudi and his daughter suffered severe injuries when a newly placed sculpture at the Corniche collapsed on them here on Friday.



Ahmed Al-Samkari, who is in his 30s, and his seven-year-old daughter were walking along the beach not far from Al-Anani Mosque when suddenly they were totally covered by the sculpture which fell on them. The two were then transferred to a hospital.



Mazin Al-Samkari, brother of the victim and an uncle of the girl, said his family went for a picnic on Friday only to end up at the hospital due to shoddy maintenance.



“Till now the municipality has not yet contacted us,” he said.



Mazin was not present at the location when the accident took place. “I was at work but was informed by my family and the police which followed up the accident. The Red Crescent transferred my brother and niece to the military hospital as Ahmed works for the military,” he said.



Ahmed suffered injuries in the back and head while his daughter is being treated for multiple bruise and a broken clavicle.



Mazin said it was wrong to blame the accident on heavy wind, as reports in the media said. “It was reckless and shoddy maintenance. That was one of  the few sculptures that were added to the beach less than two months ago,” he said.



He said the young girl has left the hospital and is now being cared at home, while Ahmed continues to be in hospital due to servere injuries in the backbone.



He said a Civil Defense team, which was present at the location, contacted the municipality which promised to send a representative immediately. “But no one came until midnight, which made the Civil Defense team leave the location.”



Abdul Aziz Al-Ghamdi, spokesman of Jeddah Municipality, told Saudi Gazette that the accident was due to the heavy wind on Friday. “What happened is Allah’s will. Some buildings collapse and so does sculptures.”



According to him they have checked the collapsed sculpture and have contacted the maintenance company. The company has been to asked check other sculptures at the beach to prevent similar cases from happening again.



Saeed Sarhan, spokesman of the Civil Defense, however said that they have not completed their investigations and added that they are contacting the maintenance companies that are in contract with the municipality. “We cannot establish yet that heavy winds caused the accident,” he said.