A passenger bus carrying 40 people collided with a pickup van on Sunday morning on Faisalabad motorway in Pakistan killing 18 passengers including women and children while 16 other passengers were injured during the accident.
The bus was travelling from Karachi to Islamabad and the accident occurred at 4:30 am in the Pindi Bhattian section of the Faisalabad motorway which is 140 kilometres from Lahore.
Inspector General (IG) Motorway Police Sultan Khawaja told the media, "On the Pindi Bhatian section of the motorway, the bus hit a static van which was carrying a fuel tank. The bus hit it from the rear and both vehicles caught fire immediately, killing at least 18 passengers."
Khawaja has also mentioned that 16 people with burn injuries were admitted to the hospital and the death toll may rise as some of the victims were in critical condition.
The passengers who were able to jump off the vehicle survived while the ones who got trapped inside the burning vehicle either died or survived severe burn injuries. Reportedly the drivers of the two vehicles have also died.
How did the accident occur?
According to IG Khawaja, the accident either took place because the bus driver fell asleep at the time of the accident or the bus was overspeeding.
He told PTI that both the vehicles would not have caught fire had the van not been carrying a fuel tank.
He added that the identity of those who lost their lives would be ascertained through DNA tests after which the bodies would be handed over to their families, reportedly.
Punjab caretaker chief minister Mohsin Naqvi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident and directed the authorities concerned to provide the best treatment to the injured.
Road accidents which are common across Pakistan claim numerous lives on a daily basis.
Five people, including a woman and two minors, were killed and 20 others injured when a bus overturned in the Fazilpur area of Punjab's Rajanpur district back in July.
