A man was critically injured when a pile of sand fell on him while he worked at a construction site in Adliya yesterday.

Muhammad Rahim Roshaid, 43, suffered a ruptured liver, lungs and kidney, fractured ribs and was taken to Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC), where he remains in the Intensive Care Unit.

Labour Ministry officials confirmed an investigation was underway, but declined to comment further.

"The incident took place at around 11.30am and two of his colleagues saw him in a trench after hearing his screams," said one of Mr Roshaid's co-workers Muhammad Fazal.

The Pakistani had only come to Bahrain less than three weeks ago on a so-called "free visa" and was looking for a full-time job.

"One of his friends asked him to work as a labourer in a construction company and took him for work," said Mr Fazal.

Mr Roshaid comes from Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa - formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province.

Pakistani Abdul Qayyum Muhammad Yousaf, 21, died and three others were injured after they were buried in the sand for 45 minutes during an accident while they dug a trench at a worksite in Samaheej on March 3.

The survivors, one of whom suffered spinal injuries, were rescued by firemen.