Pakistan: Seven charred to death as van collides with truck
A van carrying smuggled petrol collided with a truck on Tuesday in Pakistan's Balochistan province, killing at least seven persons and burning three cars parked nearby and a police check post, authorities said. The accident occurred a day after 20 people were killed when two buses collided head-on in Pakistan's Punjab province that also left 30 others injured. Here's more on it.
Five persons were burned to death on the spot
After the collision, five persons died on the spot and the two injured were shifted to a hospital where they succumbed to their injuries, police said, adding three cars, parked nearby, also caught fire along with the police check post. Two policemen who were posted at the Mach check post also suffered burns while trying to put the fire out, the report said.
Millions of gallons of fuel is illegally transported via Balochistan
Smuggled petrol was hidden in the makeshift tank of the van. The van was traveling from the provincial capital of Quetta to Sibbi. After the accident, officials reached the spot and tried to control the blaze. It took the authorities 3 hours to clear the Mach-Bolan highway. Balochistan province borders oil-rich Iran from where millions of gallons of fuel are illegally transported to Pakistan.
