Hub accident exposed govt claims, says Mengal

Official says existing fire brigade fleet not enough to deal with emergency

QUETTA: In the wake of the loss of lives in the Hub bus fire incident, Member of National Assembly (MNA) Sardar Akhtar Mengal has slammed the provincial government over inadequate firefighting and medical facilities in Lasbela district.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) leader said the incident had exposed the government’s claims about improving the social sector, including health facilities, in the province.

“Dozens of innocent people were burned to death due to lack of fire brigade and medical facilities in Lasbela. The government should repent over the state of institutions in Balochistan,” Mengal said.

The MNA said many lives could have been saved if adequate and timely relief services had been provided.



Mengal said, “The heart-breaking incident exposed government’s tall claims about health facilities in Balochistan that it is fond of making through newspapers.”

He asked that if a single fire brigade vehicle could not be arranged in time then how the government could make claims about changing people’s fortune in the province.

“The BNP-M is in deep sorrow over loss of innocent lives in the Hub accident and we stand with the bereaved families which lost their loved ones,” Mengal said and demanded quality treatment facilities for the injured people.

In the past also, shortage of fire brigade vehicles and insufficient training of firefighters in the province caused extensive loss of lives and property.
The existing number of fire brigade vehicles in Balochistan is insufficient to cope with emergency situations, said an official of local government department.

For a population of around nine million people, there are only 41 fire brigade vehicles in the entire province except Quetta, which has only 12 vehicles, most of which are not in proper condition to cope with emergencies, the official added.

However, Member of Provincial Assembly Sanaullah Baloch said that the province had only eight to 10 operational fire brigade engines, while the remaining vehicles were either faulty or non-functional.

He said the province should have a proper firefighting system with trained staff.



“The government must ensure availability of firefighting equipment and vehicles at every public place in the province as a precautionary measure,” said Sanaullah.

The lawmaker said hundreds of people had lost their lives in the province during the past two years due to the unavailability of fire extinguishing equipment.

He said the poor condition of roads was also a matter of grave concern as it not only caused problems to the people but also resulted in life threatening accidents.

The government should improve the road infrastructure for the benefit of the people, he added.

Sanaullah said the authorities concerned should educate the residents on dealing with incidents of fire and using the required equipment when needed.

The province also requires a rescue authority to deal with emergency situations, he added.

Referring to the bus accident, he said 27 people had lost their lives and 16 others suffered burn injuries due to lack of firefighting vehicles and equipment.

He said there were no safety tests and gas leak checks of vehicles, which needed to be addressed immediately.

He advised the government to launch a comprehensive campaign to educate people about safety measures.

Fire victims: 27  laid to rest

 

A large number of people including mourners offered the funeral prayers of 27 coach passengers who were killed in the Hub accident in Tablighi Markaz area of Panjgur district on Wednesday.

Provincial Minister for Social Welfare Mir Asadullah Baloch, local administration’s senior officials, tribal leaders, relatives of the deceased and a large crowd attended the funeral prayers.

Later, the bodies were buried at Airport graveyard in Panjgur.

At least 27 people including women, children and men were burnt to death and over five people received burn injuries when a Panjgur-bound passenger coach collided with a truck near Bela area of Lasbela district on Monday.

Six members of a family including mother and daughter from Dazi Bostan area of Panjgur were also killed in the accident.

The bodies were sent to their native town Panjgur on Tuesday by Edhi Foundation under supervision of minister for social welfare. A pall of gloom hung over the crowd as the bodies arrived. Emotional scenes were witnessed in the graveyard where 24 victims of the gruesome accident were laid to rest.

[WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP]