About 150 burn to death in oil tanker fire in Pakistan

25 June, Islamabad

About 150 people were charred to death and 117 others injured today in a massive blaze that erupted after an oil tanker overturned and crowds rushed to collect the fuel that spilled over on a highway in Pakistan’s Punjab Province.

The oil tanker coming from Karachi and headed to Lahore overturned early this morning on the national highway at the Ahmedpur Sharqia area of the Bahawalpur district, some 400 km from Lahore, after a tyre burst.

Officials said, the fire was apparently caused by someone who lit a cigarette after people from nearby localities gathered on the highway to collect spilt petrol. District Coordination Officer (DCO) Bahwalpur Rana Salim Afzal termed it a huge tragedy in the history of Pakistan.

At least 123 people were killed before getting any medical help while the rescue officials shifted more than 100 injured to the district headquarters hospital and Victoria Hospital in Bahawalpur where the condition of most of them is critical, Afzal said, adding some 50,000 litres of petrol spilled from the oil tanker.

The Punjab government said three helicopters were shifting the critically burnt people to Multan’s combined military hospital and Nishter Hospital for providing better health facilities.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif directed the authorities to ensure best medical treatment to the injured. He also sent his chopper for shifting the injured to Multan hospitals.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, President Mamnoon Hussain, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto condoled the tragedy.

Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa ordered the Army to assist the civil administration in the rescue effort. Army helicopters have been deployed in the rescue operations.