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Death toll climbs to 153 in oil tanker fire incident

(CGTN)    14:24, June 26, 2017

The death toll from Sunday's oil tanker explosion in Pakistan climbed to 153.

The tragedy struck Pakistan on the eve of Eid holiday on Sunday. The festival marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

An oil tanker flipped over on an expressway near the city of Bahawalpur in the eastern province of Punjab. Hundreds of people from nearby villages rushed to the scene to collect spilled fuel before the tanker caught fire.

CGTN’s Danial Khan reported, citing initial investigation, the driver lost control of the truck while trying to make a sharp turn and it overturned on the main highway.

He said the tanker was carrying 40,000 liters of fuel and was travelling from Karachi to Lahore.

Over 100 people including women and children were injured as they gathered at the scene to collect the leaked oil when the fire erupted.

It is not clear what caused the fire, but there are speculations that someone lit a cigarette that caused the spark. It took firefighters more than two hours to extinguish the fire. Several cars and motorcycles were burnt in the blaze.

A dozens of dead bodies are charred beyond recognition, say authorities.

The injured were shifted to the hospitals. At least 40 of them are in critical condition. 

(For the latest China news, Please follow People's Daily on Twitter and Facebook)(Web editor: Shi Jing, Bianji)

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