Death toll from Bahawalpur inferno reaches 200

LAHORE: The death toll from the horrific oil tanker blaze in Ahmedpur Sharqia near Bahawalpur rose to 200 as three more injured succumbed to burn injuries in the provincial capital of Punjab, ARY News reported. 

According to hospital sources, two injured of the inferno succumbed to their injuries at Jinnah Hospital Lahore early Sunday morning, increasing the death toll to two hundred.

Authorities said around 80 injured are still being treatment at Bahawal Victoria Hospital Bahawalpur, Jinnah Hospital and Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Lahore, of which 39 are said to be in critical condition.

Twnety-six deceased of the inferno have been identified so far and their families have been given compensation of Rs2 million each by the provincial government. Last week around 125 deceased were laid to rest in a mass grave near their native place.

READ MORE: 125 victims of Bahawalpur inferno laid to rest

An initial inquiry carried out into the incident held the motorway police officers responsible for failing to cordon off the area where leaked oil spread after spilling from an overturned tanker.

Earlier, police had registered a case against the owner, driver, and manager of the oil tanker that caused at least 157 deaths and injured over 100 others.

The owner of Lakki Marwat Group’s oil tanker Haji Hasnain, Manager Khalid Razzaq, and driver Gul Muhammad have been nominated in the FIR. The driver has also succumbed to his injuries at hospital in Multan.

The case was registered on the complaint of a victim family under sections 109, 279, 322, 337, 427, and 435 of Pakistan Penal Code. They incident took place on June 25 just a day before Eid-ul-Fitr.