Bus fire death toll at 13

ISLAMABAD: At least 13 people were burnt to death when a bus full of passengers caught fire in Sohawa near Jehlum on late Sunday night. According to the motorway police, a bus was moving from Shakaragarh to Rawalpindi to attend a wedding. It caught fire near Sohawa, instantly killing 12 people including women and children. Several passengers sustained injuries and were taken to a local hospital for treatment.

The fire erupted after a gas cylinder on the bus exploded when the driver was filling fuel. The bodies were severely burnt, making it difficult to identify them.

The dead include six women, four children and three men.  Most of the killed passengers included residents of Awan colony, Dhok Kala Khan. There were approximately 80 people on the bus. The driver managed to escape while an FIR has been registered against him.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2011.