BAHAWALPUR/AHMEDPUR SHARQIA(Web Desk) Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Mr. Justice Mansoor Ali Shah on Monday declared that the Ahmedpur Sharqia oil tanker incident that took over 200 lives as deplorable.Conducting a hearing over local Mahmood Akhtar Naqvi’s plea, the LHC CJ sought reply from Punjab government and federation till July 6 whereas he has also directed the authorities to submit rules designated by NHA along with the details of oil tanker’s design.
Oil Tanker Incident :death toll reaches 206
BAHAWALPUR(By Sumaira Danish)The death toll from Bahawalpur oil tanker explosion has risen to 206 as 3 more people succumbed to their injuries Yesterday.The tanker overturned early June 26 on a main highway from Karachi to Lahore while carrying some 40,000 litres of fuel.
Alerted by an announcement over a mosque’s loudspeaker that an overturned tanker truck had sprung a leak, scores of villagers raced to the scene with fuel containers to gather the oil. Then the wreck exploded, engulfing people in flames as they screamed in terror.
At least 153 men, women and children were killed, with dozens more in critical condition, hospital and rescue officials said.
“I have never seen anything like it in my life. Victims trapped in the fireball. They were screaming for help,” said Abdul Malik, a police officer who was among the first to arrive on the scene of horror in Punjab.
When the flames subsided, he said, “We saw bodies everywhere. So many were just skeletons. The people who were alive were in really bad shape.”
About 30 motorcycles that villagers had used to rush to the site of the highway accident lay charred nearby along with cars, witnesses said. Local news channels showed black smoke billowing skyward and army helicopters taking away the injured.
As victims cried out for help, residents wandered through the area, looking for loved ones.Dr Javed Iqbal at Bahawalpur’s Victoria Hospital said most of the patients suffered burns to upward of 80 percent of their bodies. Many were evacuated by plane or helicopter to hospitals in Lahore and Multan.
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