Bus engulfed in flames after hitting van in Pakistan, killing 18 people and injuring 13 others
A bus in Pakistan caught fire after hitting a van parked on the shoulder of a highway in eastern Punjab province, killing at least 18 people and injuring 13 others, police and rescue workers said on Sunday.
The accident happened early Sunday near Pindi Bhattian, where the Islamabad-bound bus struck a van parked on the shoulder of the Lahore-Islamabad highway, senior police official Fahad Ahmed said. The van was carrying fuel drums, which set off an inferno that engulfed the bus, Ahmed said.
Ahmed said there were more than 40 passengers on the bus. Those rescued suffered severe burns, including several in critical condition. Other passengers suffered minor burns while escaping through the windows.
The drivers of both vehicles were killed, police said.
Such accidents often occur on Pakistani highways, where safety standards and traffic rules are often disregarded. Even overtired drivers fall asleep behind the wheel on longer journeys.
