Lawyer Majed bin Dhawi dies following fatal family house fire

Lawyer Majed bin Dhawi al-Otaibi, known as ‘Abu Sultan,’ passed away on Friday following a seven-month struggle after a devastating house fire in the Tuwaiq neighborhood of Riyadh.

The tragedy originally occurred during the second day of Eid al-Fitr, when a fire broke out in the family home. While al-Otaibi was on the ground floor with two young children, his wife and other children were on the upper floor. After rescuing the two children and disconnecting the electricity, al-Otaibi attempted to return for the rest of his family but was blocked by thick smoke. His son, Bandar, attempted to enter the house to save his mother and siblings but was trapped by the flames.

The fire resulted in the deaths of his wife and several children. His son, Abdulaziz, had previously passed away in June after three months of medical treatment following the incident. The family's tragedy drew significant sympathy from local and regional figures, including the Deputy Governor of Riyadh and the Minister of Justice.