NAUSHAHRO FEROZE: Sixteen people, including three policemen and six children, received burns when oil spilled on road from an overturned tanker caught fire near Halani bus stop on the National Highway. One of the victims later succumbed to his injuries. The fire also engulfed the nearby market and reduced 14 shops, along with the merchandise and paraphernalia, to ashes.

The Karachi-bound tanker carrying 44,000 litres overturned while trying to save a motorcycle on Tuesday, the Motorway and Halani police said. They said a large number of people carrying pots, bottles, buckets and other things thronged the scene and started collecting oil.

Three policemen, ASI Mithal Kalo, head-constable Zulfiqar Unnar and constable Akbar Mallah, repeatedly warned the people of the danger of fire involved but their warning was ignored, Halani police officials said.

Motorway police Kandiaro chief patrolling officer Asadullah Abro, along with his two subordinates, Abdul Samad Abro and Naresh Kumar, also arrived at the scene to help out the policemen but the ‘looting’ went on, the officials said.

“To scare away the people, personnel of both security agencies fired shots in the air,” they said, adding that in the meantime an explosion took place in the tanker and the spilled oil caught fire, which swept through the entire scene and the nearby market rapidly.

Besides all six Halani police and motorway police personnel, four men, Aslam Arain, Khair Mohammad Khaskheli, Shaman Gadahi and Fahim Halepoto, and six children aged between 4 and 8, received burns and were taken to the Halani Civil Hospital. Later, all of them were referred to the Nawabshah hospital, where Mr Khaskheli succumbed to his serious burns.

Fourteen shops in the nearby market were also reduced to ashes until fire-fighters could bring the fire under control in an eight-hour-long battle.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2014