27 Killed in Pakistan Oil Tanker-Bus Crash Fire

The bus carrying dozens of passengers was heading from the southern city of Karachi to Panjgur district.

The bus was heading from the southern city of Karachi to Panjgur district. Image used for representation.

(Photo: The Quint)

At least 27 people were killed and over a dozen others injured when an oil tanker collided with a passenger bus in the Hub area of Pakistan's Balochistan province, police said Tuesday, 22 January.

The accident took place in the Lasbela district on Monday when the bus, travelling to Panjgur from Karachi and carrying 40 passengers, was hit by the tanker coming from the opposite direction, the police said.

“A huge fire erupted after the accident as the tanker was carrying Iranian diesel,” a senior official said.

"The passengers started jumping out of the bus to save their lives but many were trapped inside as the flames engulfed the bus and the tanker," he added.

The official said 27 bodies have been recovered from the crash site, Geo news reported.

"All of them died from burn injuries," Lasbela Deputy Commissioner Shabir Mengal said.

He said that six of the 16 injured were in critical condition.

A rescue official of the Edhi Foundation said due to the absence of facilities and ambulances the injured were shifted to Karachi after a long delay.

He said most of the bodies recovered were burnt beyond recognition.

Balochistan province, borders oil-rich Iran from where millions of gallons of fuel is illegally transported to Pakistan.

Deadly traffic accidents are very common in Pakistan owing to reckless driving and the bad condition of roads.

Every year hundreds of people lose their lives in traffic related incidents in the country.

(Published in arrangement with PTI)