At least 150 people burnt alive when an oil tanker caught fire in Ahmedpur Sharqia, Bahawalpur on Sunday morning, according to rescue sources. However, police and hospital authorities have confirmed only 127 deaths. More than 100 people were reported injured and taken to Bahawal Victoria Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital Sharqia in critical condition, said Rescue 1122 Director General Dr Rizwan Naseer. More deaths are feared because the most of those taken to the hospitals got 70% burn injuries.
The tanker carrying 40,000 litres of fuel overturned after trying to make a sharp turn while travelling from Karachi to Lahore on the main highway. Reports had it that it exploded after fuel leaking from its damaged container caught fire. One hundred people were injured as a result of the incident, government officials said.
A large crowd of people, including women and children, had gathered at the scene to collect the leaked oil when the fire erupted. "When [the tanker] turned over, the residents of the nearby village of Ramzanpur Joiya rushed to the site with buckets and other containers, and a large number of people on motorcycles also came and began collecting the spilling fuel," regional police chief Raja Riffat said.
"Within 10 minutes, the tanker exploded and a huge fireball enveloped the people collecting petrol. It was not clear how the fire started." Motorway Police spokesman Imran Shah said police rushed to the scene and tried to keep people away from the tanker but residents turned a deaf ear and continued filling their containers with fuel.
At least six cars and 42 motorcycles were burnt in the blaze. The charred wreckage of the motorcycles and cars could be seen scattered on the highway, along with kitchen utensils, pots, water coolers, jerrycans and buckets which victims had brought to collect the petrol. The fire brigade arrived on the site of the incident shortly after the blaze started and rescue operations were initiated.
Fire-fighters fought the flames for over two hours before extinguishing the fire. The injured were transferred to District Headquarters Hospital and Bahawal Victoria Hospital, rescue officials said. They added that all bodies were removed from the site of the incident and only the damaged vehicles remained there. Dr Rizwan Naseer, director of Punjab provincial rescue services, said identity of many of the badly burnt bodies cannot be established. At least 40 amongst the injured are in critical conditions and are being transferred to hospitals in Multan for treatment.
ISPR says: Four army helicopters with capacity of 50 passengers each are shifting the dead and injured to the hospital. Army jawans are also conducting the rescue operation. This is not the first such tragedy before Eid, this year. Recently, there have been two blasts in Parachinar and another in Quetta, claiming a large number of lives.
24 CRITICALS SHIFTED TO MULTAN At least 24 patients who have received more than 50 percent burns were shifted to Pak-Italian Modern Burn centre Multan on Sunday noon by helicopters of Army aviation. As the helicopters reached Multan International airport, ambulances of CMH and Nishtar Hospital shifted them to burn centre. Commissioner Multan, Deputy Commissioner, RPO and CPO were also present at airport. Dr Naheed, incharge of burn unit, said that they are in critical condition because they have received 60 to 70 percent burns. We would try out utmost to save their lives. He said that emergency has already been declared in burn centre and Nishtar Emergency and all the doctors were called on duty.