At least 140 people were killed as an oil tanker caught fire after it overturned in Bahawalpur’s Ahmed Pur Sharqia on Sunday morning, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rana Mohammad Saleem Abdul said.
The tanker carrying 40,000 litres of fuel overturned after trying to make a sharp turn while travelling from Karachi to Lahore and 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, the DC added.
A large crowd of people, including women and children, had gathered at the scene to collect the leaked oil when the fire erupted.
At least six cars and 12 motorcycles were burnt in the blaze.
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.
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 may be transferred to hospitals in Karachi and 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 in the rescue operations to transport the injured to the hospitals.
