148 Dead in Pakistan-Oil Tanker Crashes and Explodes. The accidental death of the Pakistani city of Bahawalpur has risen to 148. The Pakistani authorities fear even more killing, as dozens of victims are still in critical condition.
A tanker caused the disaster. It probably ran too hard and tilted. Many people came down to fuel. Due to an unknown reason, the tanker exploded. Contrary to earlier announcements, cigarettes do not appear to be the cause of the huge fire, but a technical failure.
Seriously Burned Victims
The medical services in the area are overwhelmed by the drama. The government of the province of Punjab has acknowledged that there are problems but promises to do everything possible to save lives of wounded people.
In addition to army helicopters, the Punjab Prime Minister’s helicopter was used to bring severely burned victims to hospitals and burnout centers.
A spokesman for the rescue team says that many bodies are so seriously impaired that identification will take a long time. Among the dead are men, women, and children.
Bombing
The accident followed a very bloody Friday in Pakistan when terrorists attacked in three places. In a bombing at a predominantly shiite site in the northwest, more than eighty were killed and two hundred injured. In Quetta and Karachi, nearly twenty deaths were hit by terrorist attacks on Friday.