Death toll from Bahawalpur oil inferno climbs to 194

BAHAWALPUR/LAHORE: Four more victims of Ahmedpur East oil tanker fire succumbed to injuries on Saturday, taking the death toll from the horrific incident to 194.

According to focal person Dr Amir Mahmood, one of the injured died at Jinnah Hospital Lahore while another succumbed to the burns at CMH. So far 62 bodies have been handed over to the families after identification. 125 victims have been laid to rest after collection of their DNA samples.

Siraj calls for SC to take suo moto notice

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Siraj-ul Haq on Saturday visited families of the victims of the tragedy in Ahmedpur East and assured them of every possible help.

Addressing media on the occasion, Siraj urged the Supreme Court to take suo moto notice of the incident.

“Government institutions cannot be relied upon for investigation. The Supreme Court should take suo moto notice and investigate the tragedy [itself],” he said.

The JI Ameer insisted that many lives could have been saved if the administration had acted responsibly.

“This tragedy occurred due to poverty and deprivation. The government is to blame for the deprivation in this area. Many lives could have been saved if there was a burn centre in Bahawalpur,” he said.

152 burnt to death as oil tanker catches fire in Bahawalpur

Scores injured in fire that broke out after oil tanker overturned and crowds rushed to collect fuel

“Both the prime minister and [provincial] chief minister visited here but no burn centre was announced,” he added.

The incident took place on a route of the National Highway on June 25, a day before Eid was to be celebrated in most parts of the country. A large number of people were charred to death on the spot as the overturned oil tanker exploded into an inferno. They included passers-by and residents of a nearby area, who had gathered to collect oil that was leaking from the tanker.