News / Pakistan

11 burnt to death in Pakistan bus fire accident

Sunday, 03 May 2015 1:00 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 03 May 2015 1:51 PM ]

Pakistanis gather around a charred passenger vehicle after it caught fire northeast of Karachi, February 23, 2015. (© AFP)

At least 11 people have been burnt to death and more than a dozen others injured in an accident during which a bus caught fire in southern Pakistan, security officials say.

The casualties were caused when a bus carrying wedding party guests caught fire after hitting high-voltage power lines near the town of Dadu in the southern Sindh province.

Irfan Baloch, a senior local police official, said on Sunday that, “The bus immediately caught fire after an iron box on its roof hit the high-tension wire, killing 11 people and injuring 14 others.”

He confirmed that local volunteers and rescue workers had recovered the bodies of the dead 11 passengers from the charred vehicle.

Witnesses said most of the victims, including women and children, burned to death because the bus caught fire while passengers were trapped inside the bus.

The wounded people have been transferred to nearby hospitals in the region.

In January, at least 62 people were killed when a bus collided with an oil tanker on a highway near the southern Pakistani city of Karachi. The collision started a fierce blaze that left victims burnt beyond recognition.

Road accidents are common in Pakistan due to poor road construction, lack of proper driving skills, badly maintained vehicles and routine disregard of traffic laws.

JR/HJL/SS

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