Nushki oil tanker fire leaves 70 injured

QUETTA/KARACHI: The number of those injured in the Nushki oil tanker fire has risen to 70 with 10 in critical condition with Balochistan government offering to airlift the wounded to Karachi.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, during a visit to Civil Hospital Quetta, announced that the government was prepared to shift the injured to Karachi for advanced medical care.

He said helicopters would be made available for those who opt for it, while a C-130 military aircraft could also be arranged if required.

The oil tanker had caught fire during welding work at a depot, police said. In an attempt to prevent a larger catastrophe, the truck driver moved the burning vehicle away from the terminal into an open field, where it exploded. The driver died on the spot due to severe burns.

Rescue officials have said that 20 of the wounded will be shifted to private hospitals in Karachi.

Meanwhile, hospital administration has said that 10 of the injured were in critical condition due to suffering 80% burns.

Among the injured were a DSP and three police officials who had been evacuating nearby citizens. Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said that the fire was so intense it affected a fire brigade vehicle present at the scene.

Rind added that emergency protocols were activated in hospitals to ensure immediate treatment and that a thorough investigation into the cause of the explosion was underway. He called the incident “tragic” and assured full government support.