AHMEDPUR EAST — 2017 · Major Tragedy
Ahmedpur East Tanker Fire
On the morning of 25 June 2017, the day before Eid al-Fitr, a tanker carrying about 25,000 litres of petrol from Karachi to Lahore overturned on the N-5 highway near Bahawalpur. After an announcement from a nearby mosque loudspeaker, hundreds of people from surrounding villages rushed to the scene to collect the leaking fuel; shortly afterwards the petrol ignited in a huge blaze. Many of the injured died over the following days and the death toll passed 200. The then prime minister cut short a foreign visit to travel to the area. The disaster put poverty, the transport of hazardous materials and emergency response capacity back on Pakistan's agenda.
- Date
- 2017
- Place
- Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan, Ahmedpur East, PK
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 29.1400, 71.2600 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 25 June 2017The overturned tanker ignited amid a crowd collecting fuel.
- 26 June 2017The toll rose to 157; the prime minister visited the area.
- July 2017As the injured died, the toll passed 200.
Sources
- Al Jazeera — Death toll in Bahawalpur tanker blast rises to over 200 aljazeera.com ↗
- CBS News — Pakistan oil tanker fire death toll rises cbsnews.com ↗
- Pakistan Today — Ahmadpur Sharqia death toll rises to 213 pakistantoday.com.pk ↗
- Al Jazeera
- CBS News
- Pakistan Today
Source grade B: at least one verifiable linked source. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.