HYDERABAD: Thirteen persons lost their lives when a passenger van caught fire after overturning on the Karachi-Hyderabad section of M9 Motorway on Satur­day night near a cement factory in Jamshoro district.

Ten passengers were said to have been injured in the accident.

Aftab Pathan, the additional inspector-general of Sindh-Balochistan Motor­ways, confirmed that 13 people had been killed in the accident. “A short circuit caused the fire as according to initial investigations the van’s CNG kit is intact,” he said.

He said the bonnet of a car that was ahead of the van flew off and hit the van. “The van’s driver apparently lost control of his steering and the vehicle ended up in the green belt along the highway,” said Mr Pathan.

He said the driver and a child survived the accident, besides five other people.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2020