RAWALPINDI: A school van driver had placed a can of petrol under a seat and lit a cigarette while driving the vehicle when it suddenly caught fire in Murree on Tuesday, leaving 12 schoolchildren injured.

One of the injured children died on Wednesday.

Commercial vehicles in Punjab required a vehicle fitness certificate which the school van driver did not have. The vehicle fitness certificate is valid for six months for commercial and public service vehicles, requiring reinspection twice a year.

According to the FIR registered with the Murree police on the complaint of Nasar Hayat, Sub-inspector, he was on duty at Chowki Bazaar Murree when he received a phone call at 10:30am about the accident.

He said that when the van carrying 12 schoolchildren was passing through Barahoter Mor, its driver lit a cigarette and a can of petrol was lying under a seat which caused the fire. As a result, the children traveling in the van sustained burn injuries.

The injured were shifted to THQ Hospital Murree by Rescue 1122 staff, while the critically burnt victims were transported to the burn unit at the Holy Family Hospital (HFH) where Ayesha Kaleem Abbasi succumbed to her injuries on Wednesday.

Three critically injured victims, including Arham Ali, who sustained 30 per cent burns, and eight-year-old Hassan Talib, who suffered 26 per cent burns, are being treated at the HFH. Moreover, 11-year-old Abdullah Kaleem is also receiving treatment there.

Danish Abbasi, 40, the van driver and his five-year-old daughter were among the injured. He sustained minor burn injuries and was discharged from the THQ hospital after first aid.

On the other hand, the deputy commissioner has formed a committee to investigate the cause of the fire incident.

It has been noted that whenever such an incident happens, the police and regional transport authority swing into action and launch checking of public service vehicle fitness, overloading and traffic violations.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2026