ISLAMABAD-KABUL (SW): At least 123 people have died after an oil tanker overturned resulting in catching fire in Bahawapur’s Ahmad Pur Sharqia of Punjab province in Pakistan on Sunday morning.
Pakistan’s government officials have said at least 100 people are injured as a result of the incident.
According to Dawn, a Pakistani new paper, the tanker carrying 40,000 liters of fuel overturned after trying to make a sharp turn while traveling from Karachi to Lahore on the main highway. It is reported to have exploded after fuel leaking from its damaged container caught fire.
“After about 10 minutes the tanker exploded in a huge fireball and enveloped the people collecting petrol. It was not clear how the fire started”, reported Dawn.
The Dawn further reported that Motorway Police spokesman Imran Shah said police raced to the scene and tried to keep people away from the tanker but they were ignored as residents continued filling their containers with fuel.
Rizwan Naseer, director of Punjab provincial rescue services, said many of the badly burnt bodies are beyond recognition.
At least 40 amongst the injured are in critical conditions and are being transferred to hospitals in Multan for treatment.
ENDS
