{
  "id": 16307347,
  "title": "Saudi Airport Worker Dies After Inhaling Smoke While Fighting Fire Following Reported Houthi Attack",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/saudi-airport-worker-dies-after-inhaling-smoke-while-fighting-fire",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-24T08:48:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/world/saudi-airport-worker-dies-after-inhaling-smoke-while-fighting-fire-following-reported-houthi-attack"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On October 21, 2026, Sultan Al-Qahtani, a Saudi airport worker, tragically lost his life while battling a fire at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. The fire originated near the departure gates, between Gates 19 and 20, close to a passenger aircraft. Al-Qahtani, along with his colleagues, quickly mobilized to contain the flames using handheld fire extinguishers, fearing that the blaze could spread to the plane and endanger passengers. Tragically, Al-Qahtani began experiencing chest pain and difficulty breathing, likely due to smoke inhalation. Despite his colleagues urging him to seek medical assistance, he succumbed to his injuries later. Al-Qahtani's father, Ali Al Qahtani, paid tribute to his son's bravery, describing him as a martyr who selflessly served his homeland. The incident not only resulted in the death of the Saudi worker but also caused damage to the airport, leaving eight others injured. Saudi aviation authorities reported this as the latest in a series of Houthi attacks on Saudi airports in October 2026, including earlier deadly strikes at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.",
  "summary": "A Saudi airport worker, Sultan Al-Qahtani, also referred to as Sultan bin Ali Al Mastour Al Qahtani, died after inhaling smoke while helping colleagues fight a fire at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam following a reported Houthi attack on October 21, 2026. Al-Qahtani was on duty when a projectile reportedly struck the airport, sparking a fire near the departure gates, between Gates 19…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf News",
        "title": "Saudi airport worker dies after trying to save passengers from fire following attack",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/saudi-airport-worker-dies-after-trying-to-save-passengers-from-fire",
        "published": "2026-10-24T07:28:30.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Saudi airport attack: Gorakhpur worker’s family awaits body amid flight disruptions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/saudi-airport-attack-gorakhpur-workers-family-awaits-body-amid-flight",
        "published": "2026-10-24T08:48:33.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}