As many as 20 people were burnt alive, while several others sustained injuries in a massive road accident in Pakistan’s Punjab province on Tuesday.
According to reports, an oil tanker and passenger bus collided on a highway in Multan, around 350 kilometers from Lahore.
Rescue officials mentioned that this was the second major accident in three days and took place allegedly due to overspeeding.
A Rescue 1122 official said, “Twenty people have died in a collision between a bus which was going to Karachi from Lahore and an oil tanker. After the collision, both the bus and tanker caught fire and the passengers were burnt alive.
Moreover, six passengers were shifted to Nishtar Hospital in Multan with burn injuries. They are in a critical condition, the official said.
“Most bodies of the passengers who died are burnt completely and beyond recognition. These bodies will be handed over to the families after a DNA test,” he added.
The official further mentioned that following the accident, huge flames engulfed both vehicles making it difficult for rescue teams to operate.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has expressed his grief over the incident and directed health authorities to provide better treatment to the injured.
He also directed the administration to cooperate with the families of those who died and identify them.
It may be noted that at least 13 people were killed when a loaded freight truck collided with a passenger bus in Pakistan’s Punjab on Saturday.
