FAISALABAD: Five people were killed and eight others, including five members of a family, suffered burns when a van caught fire on the Khurrianwala Road here on Sunday.

Reports said the van was on its way to Shahkot from Faisalabad when it caught fire near a CNG station.

Three of the five people killed in the incident were identified as Absar Bhatti and his two-year-old daughter Ayesha of Qasimpur, Multan; and Imtiaz of Khurrianwala. Two victims — a woman and a man — remained unidentified till late in the night. Those who suffered multiple burns in the van were identified as Naseer Ahmed of Chak 282, his wife Azra Bibi and three children, Tayyaba, Zainab and Hamza, aged between one and three years; Liaquat; Bilqees and Sumera.

Jaranwala Town SP Imran Kishwar told Dawn that a case had been registered against driver Jani and helper Usman, but no arrest had been made so far.

City Police Officer Bilal Siddique Kamyan said the van caught fire because of a faulty battery. He said two CNG cylinders of the van remained intact, but the fuel tank burst with a big bang when its engine caught fire.