Death toll from Ahmedpur Sharqia oil tanker blaze reaches 200
As many as 42 people in Multan and 23 in Lahore have succumbed to injuries recently.
BAHAWALPUR (Dunya News) - The death toll from oil tanker blaze near Bahawalpur rose to 200 on Sunday as six more injured lost their lives in Multan and Lahore hospitals.
Two patients idetified as 40-year-old Saeed and 35-year-old Hameeda lost the battle to life in Lahore’s Jinnah hospital. Meanwhile, four others died in the burn unit of Multan’s Nishtar hospital taking the toll to 44.
Motorway police spokesman Imran Shah has said that a government inquiry into the incident had found at least five police officials guilty of hiding information.
The tanker overturned last Sunday on a main highway from Karachi to Lahore while carrying some 40,000 litres of fuel. It exploded minutes later as crowds from a nearby village gathered to scavenge for fuel, despite warnings by the driver as well as motorway police to stay away. The accident took place in Ahmedpur Sharqia tehsil near Bahawalpur.
The tragedy marked a grim start to Eid, the celebrations closing the Muslim holy month of Ramazan. Pakistan has a poor record of fatal traffic accidents due to poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.
