Three burnt alive in gas cylinder explosion

Nine passengers suffered severe burn injuries

FAISALABAD: At least three passengers, including two women were killed and nine others suffered injuries when a gas cylinder exploded inside a wagon on Faisalabad-Sheikhupura Road near Shahkot on Thursday.

A police official told The Express Tribune that a passenger wagon, bearing registration no MII-132, was heading towards Faisalabad and when it reached near Shahkot City on Faisalabad-Sheikhupura Road, its gas cylinder exploded.

“Soon after the blast, the vehicle caught fire and three people were burnt to death while nine others received severe burn injuries,” the official added.

He said Rescue 1122 teams reached the spot and extinguished the fire. The injured and the dead were shifted to the hospital for treatment and legal formalities.



He maintained the deceased were identified as Hafizan Bibi, Mureed Hussain and an unidentified woman. The injured included Fayyaz Hussain, Muhammad Asad, Tanzeem Ahmad, Shabbir Hussain, Naimat Ali, Azmat Ali, Zahida Bibi, Yasir Javed and others.

While speaking to The Express Tribune, Shahkot City Police Station SHO Tasawar Munir said, “We have registered a case against the wagon driver Shaukat Ali and its conductor on the complaint of Sub Inspector Zulfaqar Ali.” He pointed out, “The case has been registered under sections 322, 285 and 286 of the Pakistan Penal Code.”

The SHO said, “Both the driver and conductor escaped from the spot following the blast. However, the accused would be arrested shortly.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 30^th, 2017.