In the Naushki district of Balochistan province, Pakistan, a tragic incident unfolded as a leaking oil tanker ignited and exploded, claiming the lives of two individuals and injuring 56 others. The explosion occurred on Monday while firefighters were attempting to extinguish the flames, according to local police officer Atta Ullah.
The blast left many injured, including both firefighters and onlookers who had gathered at the scene. Among those who lost their lives were the tanker driver and a bystander. With nearly a dozen of the injured in critical condition, authorities made arrangements to airlift some victims to Karachi, a southern city equipped with better medical facilities, as stated by Waseem Baig, a spokesperson for Civil Hospital in Quetta.
In response to the disaster, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti paid a visit to Civil Hospital in Quetta, the provincial capital, to ensure that medical staff provided top-level care to those affected by the blast. This tragic event underscores the recurring danger posed by oil tanker accidents in Pakistan.
These incidents have been notorious for their devastating impact. A poignant example from 2017 highlights the gravity of such situations when over 200 people perished in Ahmadpur East, Punjab province, as a fuel tanker caught fire during an attempt by residents to gather leaking fuel.