13 killed as van overturns, catches fire

KARAK:

At least 13 people, among them two children and four women, were burnt to death when a wedding party van overturned and caught fire in this southern district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Sunday afternoon.

Police and administration officials said the van carrying Baraatis (wedding guests) was en route to Sadiqabad Terri from Sareekhwa village, in Karak district. The driver lost control of the vehicle after one of its tyres burst in the Alwargi area, the officials

said, adding that the van overturned and caught fire. They said the fire was ignited when the CNG cylinder of the van exploded.

The piercing explosion was heard in villages several kilometres away from the crash site. Most of the victims were killed on the spot. Other guests in the Baraat rescued five people from the burning vehicle as they put out the blaze on self-help basis. The dead and the injured were said to be relatives belonging to one village. Most the bodies were charred beyond recognition.

Security forces also rushed to the site to help in rescue efforts. Officials said the victims were driven to the Kohat District Headquarters hospital. They added that other wedding guests have called it an accident but police and security officials were also investigating to rule out any terrorism link.

K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak expressed sorrow over the loss of human lives and offered condolences to the bereaved families.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2016.