157 people were burnt alive as an oil tanker caught fire in Ahmedpur Sharqia

MULTAN, June 25th: At least 157 people were burnt to death when an oil tanker caught fire in Bahawalpur's Ahmedpur Sharqia Sunday morning, according to rescue sources.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. Most of those taken to the hospitals got 70% burn injuries, while more deaths are feared.  
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.
It is reported to have exploded after fuel leaking from its damaged container caught fire.
One hundred people were injured as a result of the incident, government officials said.

An oil tanker overturned and caught fire in Bahawalpur.─DawnNews
An oil tanker overturned and caught fire in Bahawalpur.─DawnNews

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 Joya rushed to the site with buckets and other containers, and a large number of people on motorcycles also came and started collecting the spilling fuel,” regional police chief Raja Riffat said.
“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.”
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.
At least six cars and 12 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.

Those injured in the fire were transferred to nearby hospital.─DawnNews
Those injured in the fire were transferred to nearby hospital.─DawnNews

The fire brigade arrived on the site of the incident shortly after the blaze started and rescue operations were initiated.
Firefighters 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.

Injured transferred to nearby hospitals receive treatment.─DawnNews
Injured transferred to nearby hospitals receive treatment.─DawnNews

Dr. 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.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa ordered the army to assist the civil administration in the rescue efforts.
Army helicopters were used to transport the injured from Bahawalpur to Nishtar Hospital in Multan.

Army helicopters used to transfer injured to hospitals for treatment.─ISPR
Army helicopters used to transfer injured to hospitals for treatment.─ISPR

"COAS expresses grief on losses in oil tanker incident. Directed provision of full assistance to civil administration in rescue [and] relief efforts," Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major Gen Asif Ghafoor said in a tweet.
"Army Aviation helicopters sent for evacuation of casualties to hospitals [and] burn centres. Hospitals placed on high alert," he added.The prime minister's office said the Punjab provincial government had been directed to provide full medical assistance.
“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has expressed deep grief over the heavy loss of life in the unfortunate accident of oil tanker fire at Ahmad Pur Sharqia, Bahawalpur,” the statement said.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif took notice of the incident and ordered government officials to file a report.
Citizens expressed their grief on social media, sharing messages of sorrow with two deadly bombing attacks in Quetta and Parachinar in the backdrop.


Vehicles burnt to ashes after the oil tanker caught fire. 

Dozens of vehicles, including 75 motorbikes and four cars, were engulfed in the blaze that erupted in Pul Paka near the National Highway, an area located in the middle of the city. Most of the affected people were residents of the locality near by, while others were passing by on the route.Rescue Officer Bahawalpur Baqar Hussain has confirmed 123 death and 140 injured persons,He said that flames did not let them reach near the oil tanker. Rescue Director General Dr,.Rizwan Naseer said that a large number of people gathered there to collect the Petrol when the oil tanker capsized .Highway Police spokesman said that police have forbidden the people to stay away from the oil tanker but greedy people did not lend ear to their advice. All of sudden it caught fire and burst violently . Resultantly  more than 170 people scorched and they were removed to nearby hospital, health centre. Of them 123 people have so far been died .Rescue operation is underway and the injured are being shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital.
Army has provided helicopters to shift the seriously injured people to Pak-Italian Burn Centre Multan to save their lives. While special beds were provided in CMH Bahawalpur and Multan to accommodate maximum number of stinged people. Others were shifted to Bahawal Victoria Hospital Bahawalpur.
Army Aviation helicopters have been sent for evacuation of casualties to hospitals and burn centres, while military hospitals were placed on high alert, it added.DPO Bahawalpur Dr.Akhtar Abbas said ," It was a tragic mishap which had claimed more than 120 people.Bodies were badly burnt and beyond identification. DNA sampling would be required for identification. DPO said that rescue teams of Army , Police ,Rescue 1122 were doing work efficiently under the supervision of Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Regional Police Office Officer .DSP Ahmedpur East Ghulam Dastgir said that all the people were shifted to hospital for medical aid .Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has declared emergency at Multan International airport on the request of Punjab Government for immediate transportation of scorched people from Ahmedpur east to Multan burn centre Army has provided helicopters to shift the seriously injured people to Pak-Italian Burn Centre Multan to save their lives. While special beds were provided in CMH Bahawalpur and Multan to accommodate maximum number of stinged people. Others were shifted to Bahawal Victoria Hospital Bahawalpur. Army Aviation helicopters have been sent for evacuation of casualties to hospitals and burn centres, while military hospitals were placed on high alert, it added.DPO Bahawalpur Dr.Akhtar Abbas said ," It was a tragic mishap which had claimed more than 120 people.Bodies were badly burnt and beyond identification. DNA sampling would be required for identification. DPO said that rescue teams of Army , Police ,Rescue 1122 were doing work efficiently under the supervision of Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Regional Police Office Officer .DSP Ahmedpur East Ghulam Dastgir said that condition of injured persons is very critical.Dozens of vehicles, including 75 motorcycles and four cars, were engulfed in the blaze that erupted in Pul Paka near the National Highway, an area located in the middle of the city. Most of the affected people were residents of the locality nearby, while others were passing by on the route.Bahawal Victoria Hospital, which is an hour away from the site of the incident, does not have a burns ward.
Although the inferno has been controlled, the road has yet to be cleared. Besides, rescue work was underway as some of the bodies stuck in the wreck were being taken out.
The motorway authorities have created diversions on the National Highway so that traffic flow is not impeded. The volume of traffic on the route is likely to increase as people would be using the National Highway to travel to their hometowns for Eidul Fitr that is expected to be celebrated in many parts of Pakistan on Monday (tomorrow).
Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif has condemned the incident and demanded the authorities concerned to provide the relevant report. He also sent a helicopter for rescue purposes.
Army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa, PM Nawaz Sharif and PTI Chairperson Imran Khan expressed condolences.
Four army helicopters with capacity of 50 passengers each are shifting the dead and injured to the hospital. Army jawans are also busy 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.
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