An oil tanker explosion in Balochistan’s Noshki district on Monday left at least 40 people injured, officials confirmed. The incident occurred when the tanker, parked at a truck depot, caught fire due to welding work.
Noshki Deputy Commissioner Amjad Soomro stated that while fire brigades attempted to control the blaze, the tanker exploded, causing serious injuries to firefighting personnel and four police officers who were on-site to evacuate nearby citizens.
The explosion resulted in severe burns to those closest to the tanker, with many suffering burns to 70-80% of their bodies. Some of the critically injured are being airlifted to Quetta for treatment.
Balochistan Government Spokesperson Shahid Rind confirmed that over 30 people were burned in the incident and that an emergency had been declared in local hospitals. He emphasized that investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire.
This tragedy is reminiscent of other oil tanker explosions, which can occur due to a variety of factors, including welding work, collisions, or issues with the tanker’s fuel system. Last year, a similar explosion in Karachi injured several people, and a 2017 explosion killed 212 people when a tanker overturned and leaked fuel.
Authorities are working to identify the cause of this devastating event and prevent future incidents.
