SUKKUR: Three people were killed and six others injured when an LPG tanker exploded near Al-Khadim Petrol Pump on the Rohri bypass along the National Highway on Wednesday.
The blast damaged more than six heavy vehicles, including trucks and trailers, reducing the tanker to pieces and spreading panic in the area.
Officials said the tanker’s driver and cleaner were killed instantly in the powerful explosion. The blast also severely damaged nearby vehicles, killed another trailer driver and injured several other drivers and cleaners.
Police, motorway officials and Rescue 1122 teams rushed to the scene and shifted the victims to Rohri Taluka Hospital.
Four critically injured people were transferred to Sukkur Civil Hospital for further treatment. The identities of the three deceased had not been established while officials described the injured as being in critical condition.
Some of the injured were identified as Fida Hussain from Kot Sabzal, Umar Hayat from Rahim Yar Khan, and Muhammad Shahid and Kamran, both from Faisalabad.
District Council Sukkur Chairman Syed Kumail Haider Shah, Deputy Commissioner Nadir Khan Shahzad and SSP Sukkur Ahmed Chaudhry visited the site.
Mr Shah expressed grief over the loss of life and said the injured were receiving medical treatment. He added that arrangements could be made to transfer them to private hospitals or other cities by air ambulance, if required.
He announced plans to establish Rescue 1122 centres near the National Highway and motorway interchanges to strengthen emergency response services.
DC Shahzad said officials were investigating the tanker’s origin and the cause of the explosion.
SSP Chaudhry said traffic on the affected highway had been restored and that a Counter Terrorism Department team had collected evidence from the scene.
Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2026
