Public transport: 3 killed in van cylinder blast

LAHORE: Three people including a 10-year-old were killed and 12 injured when a gas cylinder in a passenger van exploded as it was being refilled at a compressed natural gas (CNG) station in Chuhng police station precincts.

Police impounded the van and started investigating the incident. The injured were shifted to Jinnah Hospital, where three were reported to be in critical condition.

A Rescue 1122 official said that the van was heading from Raiwind to Lahore with 15 people on board when it stopped at the gas station near Ali Raza Abad. The gas tank exploded with a loud bang when a station worker started filling it.

Three people died at the scene. They were identified as Youhanna, 30, Junaid, 10, and Faqeer Muhammad, 35.

The incident caused panic among commuters and CNG station workers, who initially thought there was a terrorist attack. It also caused massive traffic jams for a couple of hours.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 13^th, 2011.