CHARIKAR (SW) – Parwan security officials have confirmed that at least 22 people died and 25 got injured as a result of an incident of fire in the Salang tunnel on Sunday.
Officials said that last night an oil tanker caught fire inside the Salang tunnel.
Azizullah Omar, the commander of Parwan security, told Salam Watandar that at around 8:30 on Saturday night, an oil tanker that was moving from Baghlan to Kabul, at a distance of 50 meters inside the Salang tunnel caught fire.
Parwan’s security commander added that so far 22 dead and 25 injured have been pulled out from both sides of the Salang tunnel. He says the death toll is likely to rise.
The commander of Parwan security emphasized that there are women and children among the dead and that it is difficult to identify them due to the excessive burns of the bodies.
Meanwhile, Azizullah Omar said that parts of the roof of the Salang tunnel collapsed as a result of the oil tanker explosion. He added that the road from south to north and from north to south is closed to all cars and hundreds of passenger and cargo cars are waiting for the opening of the tunnel on both sides.
On the other hand, the Parwan security commander added that the driver of a truck that caused the fire is under the supervision of the Parwan security forces and his assistant/cleaner is still in the custody of the Baghlan security forces.
Eyewitnesses at the scene of the incident told Salam Watandar that there is a possibility that two trucks full of coal caught fire.
ENDS
