Steep price to pay for a discount
Three killed, 17 injured in stampede at IKEA store in western Saudi Arabia
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Wednesday, September 1, 2004
(09-01) 09:17 PDT RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) --
Hundreds of shoppers drawn by a discount offer rushed into an IKEA branch in western Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, causing a stampede that killed three and injured 17, security officials said.
A Saudi and a Pakistani were among those killed, the officials said. The nationality of the third person killed was not given.
After furniture giant IKEA's branch in the Red Sea port city of Jiddah announced that it was offering credit vouchers to the first 250 clients Wednesday, some shoppers camped outside Tuesday night. Once the doors opened, the crowd surged forward, causing the stampede.
Ameen Jamal, a senior executive for IKEA Saudi Arabia, said more than 8,000 people had gathered outside the store before the opening. He didn't have other details.
