The Latest on an oil tanker fire in Pakistan that killed more than 140 people (all times local) :
MULTAN, Pakistan (AP) – The Latest on an oil tanker fire in Pakistan that killed more than 140 people (all times local) : 12: 20 a.m. An announcement over a mosque’s loudspeaker that an overturned tanker truck had sprung a leak sent scores of villagers racing to the scene to gather spilled fuel. Then the wreck exploded, engulfing people in flames as they screamed in terror. Hospital and rescue officials say at least 153 men, women and children were killed, and dozens more are in critical condition. ___ 8: 20 p.m. An overturned oil tanker burst into flames in Pakistan on Sunday, killing 153 people who had rushed to the scene of the highway accident to gather leaking fuel. A doctor at Bahawalpur’s Victoria Hospital in south Punjab said the latest deaths occurred at a hospital in Multan where some of the 50 critically injured were taken, many of them suffering extensive burns. A senior rescue official in the area said the death toll could rise further as dozens are still in critical condition. Local news channels showed black smoke billowing skyward and scores of burned bodies, as well as rescue officials speeding the injured to hospital and army helicopters ferrying the wounded. ___ 2: 30 p.m. A rescue official says the death toll from an oil tanker fire in Pakistan has risen to 148, with dozens more in critical condition. The disaster occurred when hundreds of residents of a nearby village gathered at the site of an overturned oil tanker to collect the leaking fuel. It’s believed that a spark from the many cars and motorcycles that raced to the scene ignited the fuel. Dr. Mohammad Baqar, a senior rescue official in the area, confirmed the latest toll, updating a previous figure. He says many of the bodies were burned beyond recognition and will have to be identified through DNA testing. Some of the most badly burned were evacuated by army helicopters to Multan, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) away. The dead included men, women and children. ___ 10 a.m. A Pakistani official says more than 100 people have been killed after an oil tanker overturned and burst into flames. The tanker flipped over Sunday and the fire from the oil spill engulfed scores of residents who had rushed to collect leaking fuel. Another 50 people have been seriously injured. Dr. Rizwan Naseer, director of Punjab provincial rescue services, says rescuers are collecting the badly burned bodies, many beyond recognition. He says the death toll is likely to rise. Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
