Fire breaks out in coach of flood victims near Jamshoro, 17 killed

Kotri/Karachi: A sudden fire incident occurred in the coach of the flood victims returning home from Karachi on the M-Nine Motorway near Jamshoro, in which 17 passengers have been confirmed dead so far.

According to the Edhi spokesman, a fire suddenly broke out on the highway near Kotri in the back of the passenger coach of the flood victims going from Karachi to Khairpur Nathan Shah, which immediately engulfed the vehicle.

According to the rescue officials, as a result of the fire, more than 50 percent of the vehicle was burnt to ashes. On receiving the information about the fire, there was a stampede in the passenger coach, on which the passengers opened the door of the moving coach and jumped.

The driver stopped the coach and took the passengers out. There were more than 50 passengers including women and children in the coach.

SHO Nooriabad Hashim Brohi said that as a result of the fire, 17 people, including children and women, died due to burns. He said that the injured are not yet known and are engaged in rescue operations. All the passengers in the bus belonged to Mughiri community who were going back to their native village.

An official of the Edhi charity said that 17 of the burnt bodies were identified while 20 people were injured in the accident and are being shifted to local and Karachi hospitals.

Notice of Provincial Transport Minister

Provincial Transport and Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has expressed regret over the loss of precious lives due to the fire of a coach near Nooriabad.

The provincial minister ordered the transport secretary to investigate the matter and said that a high-level committee should be formed to investigate the matter and the responsible persons should be determined within three days.

The provincial minister said that innocent lives were lost due to whose negligence? Were the security measures complete in the bus? Why were the passengers not evacuated through the emergency drawers?

Sharjeel Inam Memon said that strict legal action will be taken against those who are negligent in the accident, most of the transporters have been found guilty of negligence in safety measures, then they will also be dealt with strictly.

He said that the district administration Jamshoro and the police have reached the spot, relief operations are going on, emergency has been declared in the hospitals to provide medical facilities to the injured.

Sector Commander Jamshwar Motorway Police

Motorway Police Sector Commander for Jamshoro Farhan Ahmed said that all the passengers in the bus were flood victims, who were returning to KN Shah relief camp in Karachi.

He said that as a result of the fire, more than 20 passengers were injured, the bodies of the dead passengers are still inside the coach. Fewer lives were lost due to the emergency exit of the passenger coach, a fire broke out in the coach’s AC system, the bus was completely gutted and the fire has now been brought under control.