Oil tanker fire in Pakistan leaves nearly 150 dead
Posted Jun 25, 2017 7:54 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A rescue official says the death toll from an oil tanker fire in Pakistan has risen to 148, with dozens more in critical condition.
The disaster occurred when hundreds of residents of a nearby village gathered at the site of an overturned oil tanker to collect the leaking fuel.
It’s believed that a spark from the many cars and motorcycles that raced to the scene ignited the fuel.
Dr. Mohammad Baqar, a senior rescue official in the area, confirmed the latest toll, updating a previous figure.
He says many of the bodies were burned beyond recognition and will have to be identified through DNA testing. Some of the most badly burned were evacuated by army helicopters to Multan, about 100 kilometres away.
The dead included men, women and children.
