A passenger bus fell right into a ravine and caught fire killing 40 people in southern Pakistan on Sunday, a government official said.
The bus was carrying 44 passengers from Quetta in Balochistan province to Karachi in neighboring Sindh province. The accident was near the town of Bela, in Lasbela district.
Hamza Anjum Nadeem, assistant commissioner in Bela, said the bodies of 40 people, including women and youngsters, were recovered. 4 injured passengers were rescued.
“The accident happened on account of over-speeding and the bus crashed into the pillar of a bridge. It caught fire soon after falling into the ravine,” he said.
Nadeem said the bodies were charred beyond recognition and are being transported to Karachi for DNA sampling. After identification, the bodies will probably be handed over to the victims’ relatives.
Firefighters and employees from the Lasbela Welfare Trust and the Edhi Welfare Foundation carried out the rescue operation.
The chief minister of Balochistan, Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo, expressed his sorrow for the lack of life and ordered authorities to offer the perfect medical facilities to the injured.
Traffic accidents in Pakistan generally occur on account of violation of traffic rules, leading to the deaths of 1000’s every yr.