KHAIRPUR: Seven people, including four children, died on Thursday after a fire broke out in a bogie of the Karachi Express train near Tando Masti Khan in Sindh’s Khairpur district.
Pakistan Railways (PR) District Coordination Officer Mohsin Siyal confirmed the number of casualties.
Police surgeon Abu Talib also confirmed the death toll who said that six of the bodies were “unidentifiable” and would be handed over to their families after conducting DNA tests. He said the bodies had been shifted to the Civil Hospital, Khairpur.
A press release issued by PR said the train was headed from Karachi to Lahore when, at around 12:30am, the department received an alert that the air-conditioned business coach had caught fire.
The cause of the fire has not been ascertained yet.
وزارت ریلوے نے واقعے کا سخت نوٹس لیتے ہوئے تحقیقات کا حکم دے دیا ہے۔ اس ضمن میں فیڈرل گورنمنٹ انسپکٹر آف ریلویز کی سربراہی ٹیم جائے وقوعہ کیلیے روانہ ہو چکی ہے۔ تحقیقات کے مکمل ہوتے ہی میڈیا کو بھی آگاہ کیا جائے گا۔
6/6— Ministry of Railways, Government of Pakistan (@RailwaysGovPk) April 27, 2023
The affected coach was later seperated and the train resumed its journey around 7:30am.
The fire was brought under control after 40 minutes.
Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique has ordered an inquiry into the incident and constituted a team, headed by the federal government inspector of railways.
