LAHORE: As many as five persons were allegedly killed while four others suffered multiple injuries when a rashly-driven dumper turned over onto two rickshaws in Baghbanpura area here on Wednesday.

There were reports that the rickshaws were also carrying some school children as the Rescue 1122 and the police recovered 10-year-old Hafiza and 12-year-old Aima dead, besides two other persons who were identified as Dawood and Rafaqat.

The incident took place at the crowded Akhri Mint Stop. The injured persons were shifted to nearby hospitals.

Some eyewitnesses said the dumper also ran over some motorcycles, leaving three of them injured.

A police official said it seems the accident took place due to failure of the brakes of the dumper.

However, it was yet to be confirmed as the inquiries were still under process.

He said the Rescue 1122 rushed to the site on being alerted and pulled out the bodies from the rickshaws which were completed damaged when the dumper overturned on them.

The official said the passersby and some local traders, who reached the spot, tried to rescue the trapped persons but failed as it could only be done by the heavy lifters.

Rescue 1122 said they pulled four others alive from beneath the wreckage and rushed them to a nearby hospital in a critical condition.

According to Rescue 1122 officials, the incident took place when the dumper lost control and overturned onto two rickshaws and a motorcycle.

The impact was so severe that several individuals were trapped under the heavy vehicle, they said.

To a question, the police official said they were taking help from the CCTV cameras to find out the criminal negligence of the dumper driver. He said the dumper was removed from the spot with the help of the heavy cranes.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2025