RAWALPINDI: One person sustained burn injuries after two fuel tankers caught fire near the old Benazir Bhutto airport on Wednesday night.

Rescue 1122 firefighters extinguished the flames that also caused massive traffic jams in the area.

According to rescue officials, two oil tankers carrying thousands of litres fuel and crude oil were passing through the Airport Road when a car suddenly turned right to take a U-turn from the extreme left lane and came in the middle of the road where one of the tankers hit it.

The second tanker then rammed into the first tanker and oil spilled on the road causing the fire.

Rescue 1122 and police reached the spot and cordoned off the area. A helper of one of the tankers suffered burn injuries and was shifted to hospital.

On the other hand, Civil Defence on Thursday issued notices to all petroleum depots across the district to adopt fire safety measures. It said those not fulfilling the requirement would be fined Rs100,000.

Civil Defence Officer Talib Hussain said the department had asked all petroleum marketing companies to ensure fire safety arrangements in the depots and fuel-carrying tankers.

He said fire safety gadgets should be functional in the oil tankers and the drivers and helpers should know how to use them in an emergency.

He said the Civil Defence would form teams to check the fire safety gadgets and impose fines. He said deputy commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema had issued directions for regular checking of tankers and petroleum depots.

The two oil tankers caught fire on Wednesday night near a petroleum depot, he added.

He said such directions had also been issued for LPG authorised dealers. Petrol filling stations and commercial buildings must have exit doors, firehydrants, fire-isolated stairs, mechanical ventilation and sprinkler systems besides smoke alarms, safety management systems and a firecontrol centre, said the official.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2023