SARGODHA: Eleven people, including three women, were killed and six others sustained burn injuries after their van caught fire near the Bhera interchange on the Lahore-Islamabad Motorway on Thursday.

A police source said the van going from Faisalabad to Islamabad carrying 17 passengers rammed into the pillar of a flyover near Khan Muhammadwala, within the jurisdiction of the Bhera police station, and instantly caught fire. Some witnesses said the van’s tyre burst just before the crash.

Motorway DIG Ashfaq Ahmad told journalists at the Bhera civil hospital that the van driver’s negligence coupled with the van’s poor condition had caused the crash.

He said that because the sliding doors of the van were locked when it overturned after slamming into the pillar, none of the passengers could get out of the burning vehicle quickly.

Police said 11 people died on the spot. The injured were rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital, Sargodha. The bodies were taken to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Bhera, for identification.

Those injured in the accident were Muhammad Naveed, Afzal Ahmad, Aziza, Muneera, driver Muhammad Yar and Muhammad Naveed, a minor.

Official news agency APP claimed that the death toll had risen to 13 by Thursday evening. Chief Minister Usman Buzdar expressed condolences over the loss of lives.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2020