At least 10 people were injured on Thursday in fire-related incidents.
Three people were injured when a passenger van caught fire reportedly from a spark from its engine. Police said the van, heading to Lahore from Gujranwala, caught fire when it reached Sadhoke. They said 20 people were travelling in it. Three passengers were injured, while the rest managed to jump out in time. Rescue 1122 officials were called and the injured were taken to the tehsil headquarters hospital, where they were reported to be out of danger. They were later identified as Shamshad Bibi, Faiza Bibi and Zahid Pervaiz.
The fire was instantly put out by the rescuers, but by that time the vehicle’s chassis was all that was left of it. The rescuers said that three CNG cylinders installed in the van had been empty. Had they been full, they said, the fire would have been more dangerous.
Saddar police came looking for the van driver, but he had fled. The vehicle was then seized.
Elsewhere, Aftab, 26, of Tamboli village; Surayya Bibi, 50, of Old Abadi; Fayyaz Gujjar of Bhopra Khurd; Umair, 20, of Safdarabad; Akhter Ali, 11, of Main Bazaar; Fauzia Bibi, 35, of Chianwali; and Atiq, 23, of Tatlay Aali were taken to tehsil headquarters hospital with burn injuries in various incidents. They were all reported to be out of danger.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 25th, 2013.