A girl was killed after a fire broke out in a van transporting female students bake home after their exams in a private college.
Gas leakage caused the fire in the private college near the toll plaza in Ahmadpur East.
The van was carrying 19 students who had come from Liaquatpur to appear in their exams.
Upon receiving information about the incident, Motorway Police, Rescue 1122 and local residents doused the fire and shifted the injured students to the Ahmadpur Sharqia Hospital.
However, 19-year-old student Tayyaba Abbas succumbed to her injuries, while 10 other suffered severe burn injuries.
Speaking to the media, the father of the deceased student, Ahmed Abbas, demanded strict action against those using substandard gas cylinders. He said that his daughter had been badly burnt.
Another student's father, Muhammad Ramzan, said that the college had arranged the van. He alleged that the college had chosen a cheap van to save money and charged the students Rs3,000 for transportation.
According to the area emergency services director, some of the injured students have burns over up to 70 per cent of their bodies.
Bahawalpur District Police Officer Hassan Iqbal said a case had been registered against the owner of the vehicle involved in the incident and two employees of the college had been arrested.
Two injured students were referred to the Multan Burns Unit for treatment.
The Punjab chief minister took notice of the incident and directed that the affected students be provided all possible medical facilities.
Vehari faces LPG vans' risk
Hundreds of school and college vans allegedly running on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are operating in Vehari city and surrounding areas, sparking safety concerns among parents.
A majority of these vehicles are being used by private educational institutions, despite reports of gas leaks and odour.
Local sources said many educational institutions are using improperly converted LPG vehicles in an attempt to reduce fuel costs. These conversions often lack safety standards and several vans reportedly emit a strong smell of gas, raising fears of a potential disaster.
A concerned parent shared that his daughter's college van continuously smelled of gas. Despite repeated complaints to the van owner and college administration, no action was taken. "It's heartbreaking that the safety of our children is being compromised to save money," he said.
Another citizen said most of these vans not only use substandard LPG kits but are also driven by untrained drivers. Regular maintenance is lacking, and many vehicles are not equipped with fire extinguishers, which are essential during emergencies. A local lawyer urged immediate inspections of all LPG-powered school vehicles across the city. He said the local administration transport authorities should launch a crackdown on illegal and unsafe vehicles.
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