148 Dead in Pakistan Tanker Blast

At least 148 people – including children – were killed after an oil tanker carrying 40,000 litres of fuel flipped over and burst into flames on a highway in Pakistan. Residents had flocked to the tanker with jerry cans, buckets and other containers to collect leaking fuel from it after it overturned. According to Pakistani media, it was travelling from the southern port city of Karachi to Lahore when the driver lost control and it crashed near the city of Bahawalpur at around 6:30am. Some reports suggested the tanker had suffered a burst tire. The driver survived and is in custody. Officials said many of the victims were beyond recognition and that DNA tests were being carried out to identify the dead, adding that the number of fatalities was likely to rise. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed his grief and ordered provincial leaders to ensure victims received “full medical assistance”. Pakistan has a poor record of fatal traffic accidents due to bad road conditions, poorly maintained vehicles and reckless driving. In 2015, more than 60 people, including children, died when the bus they were travelling in collided with an oil tank