A Saudi man heroically jumped in to prevent a disastrous explosion when a truck suddenly caught fire near a Riyadh gas station earlier this week. A fire broke out in a truck loaded with animal feed at a petrol station in Dawadmi, Riyadh Province, narrowly averting a potential catastrophe. A man identified as Maher Fahd Al Dalbahi was seen in action when he selflessly leapt into a flaming truck, steering it away from the gas station. The whole incident was captured on camera by onlookers and is now going viral on the Internet.
The visuals are widely being shared, showing Al Dalbahi leaping onto the burning truck and driving it away from the station, praising his quick thinking and bravery. Many have called for official recognition of his heroic act. The truck’s driver had abandoned the vehicle due to probable risk, leaving it dangerously close to the petrol pump.
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Al Dalbahi recounted the tense moment, "I was on my way to my village, Al Salihiya, and had stopped at a nearby shop when I saw the truck engulfed in flames after its driver was unable to control the fire. All I thought about was saving the station and the people there. I climbed onto the burning truck and drove it to a safe distance from the fuel tanks."
His nephew, Khalid Eid Al-Otaibi, 31, described the moment: “My uncle got out of his car and ran to the truck to drive it away. As soon as he pulled it away, the fire started falling from the front, and the driver’s door was open.”
He continued: “I was just with him in the hospital. He has third-degree burns on his face, but thank God, there has been improvement. His hands and legs have second-degree burns. His condition is improving; he laughs and talks with us.”
Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Riyadh’s deputy governor, personally called Al-Dalbahi to check on his condition and directed staff to give him the highest level of care.
