Rescuers in Peshawar get training to handle oil tanker accidents

PESHAWAR: To prevent horrendous oil tanker accidents from taking place in future, mock exercises were conducted near the city on GT Road on Friday.

The exercises aimed at training those involved in rescue work to provide immediate relief to the affected people during explosions that occur as a result of oil tanker accidents.

The highway and motorway police along with Rescue 1122 teams participated in the exercises.

National Highway and Motorway DSP Alauddin Khan leaded the exercises.

The step has been taken in the wake of Bahawalpur’s Ahmedpur East accident that claimed lives of over 200 and was followed by at least dozen other accidents in which oil tankers overturned due to faults in the vehicles.

In Ahmedpur East, a tanker carrying at least 50,000 litres of oil toppled due to a fault in the vehicle. Subsequently, oil leaked from the tanker, drawing people from nearby areas to collect the free-flowing fuel. However, in the meantime, someone lit a cigarette in the vicinity causing an explosion and killing over a hundred on the spot.

The accident sent alarm bells ringing among the authorities that tightened rules and regulations for oil tanker owners, who protested the changes and suspended supply of oil to the country for some days until successful negotiations were held between them and the officials concerned.