"Authorities say most of the bodies are burnt beyond recognition and the death toll is likely to rise," reporter Abdul Sattar in Islamabad reports for NPR. "Children and women are among the injured."
The oil tanker was traveling to the city of Lahore in Pakistan's Punjab province when one of the tires burst, causing it to overturn outside of the city of Bahawalpur. Hundreds of people gathered around it, trying to collect the oil after it began leaking.
"People living in roadside villages, carrying domestic pots rushed to the scene to collect oil and they also made phone calls to their relatives living in other villages to immediate[ly] come to collect oil," police told Pakistan's state-run APP news.
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09:29
Over 100 people have burnt to death after an oil tanker overturned, spilling its payload on a highway in the Pakistani city of Bahawalpur, local media report.
At least 123 people were killed according to Deputy Commissioner Rana Mohammad Saleem Abdul said, as cited by Dawn.
At least another 40 people suffered severe burn wounds. They have been taken to two local hospitals in critical condition, Rescue 1122 Director General Dr. Rizwan Naseer told Geo TV Pakistan.
WARNING: EXTREMELY GRAPHIC VIDEO
After the tanker overturned in Pul Paka area near the National Highway, people in the vicinity rushed to the vehicle to collect fuel. Some were smoking, which reportedly led to the ignition of the gasoline and caused furious inferno, according to initial reports.
Army helicopters have been deployed to take the injured to nearby hospitals, according to army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
COAS expresses grief on losses in oil tanker incident. Directed provision of full assistance to civil admn in rescue/relief effort (1 of 2).
It has been reported that over 70 motorcycles and a number of cars have also been destroyed in the blaze. Geo TV Pakistan reports that the fire is now under control.
Local news outlets report that the bodies have been burned beyond recognition. DNA tests will be required to identify the deceased.
Medical staff fear more deaths, as victims suffered burns to over 70 percent of their bodies.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the initial crash, but first reports coming from the scene suggest the truck had been speeding.
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