According to Sindh’s Parliamentary Secretary for Health Qasim Siraj Soomro, a horrific bus fire on the M9 Motorway near Jamshoro late on Wednesday left at least 18 people dead, including 12 children and two women, and at least 10 more injured.
The unfortunate bus was carrying about 50 people, all Mugheri flood victims returning to their hometown of Khairpur Nathan Shah in the Dadu district, according to police and rescuers.
Hashim Brohi, the chief of the Nooriabad police station, and Farhan Ahmed, the commander of the Jamshoro Sector of the Motorway Police, first reported ten victims. Soomro later clarified that there were 17 deaths. Among the dead are 12 kids under the age of 15.
The Jamshoro district health officer claimed all victims were internally displaced people (IDPs) due to the Dadu district floods. The DHO said that they left after Khairpur Nathan Shah was flooded and had been staying close to the M9 Motorway, a Super Highway.
According to Commander Ahmed, the fire started in the bus’s air conditioning system and spread throughout the vehicle. He continued by saying that if the bus’ emergency escape had been operational, there would have been fewer victims.
Soomro stated that the injured were receiving care at Jamshoro and that, if necessary, they may be transferred to other institutions. He stated that 30 beds have been set up at Karachi’s Burns Ward by the health department. In public hospitals in Jamshoro and Hyderabad, emergency services are offered.
Sharjeel Memon, the transport and information minister for Sindh, said that the Jamshoro district administration and the police had arrived at the scene and that a relief effort was in progress. T to give medical facilities to the injured, he also stated that an emergency had been declared in hospitals.
Memon expressed sorrow at the fire incident’s tragic loss of life. The responsible persons must be identified within three days, he added, and he asked the transport secretary to form a high-level committee to look into the incident.
The minister argued that it should be established whose negligence resulted in the loss of innocent lives, whether or not the bus was completely secured, and why the passengers did not use the emergency exits.
