MULTAN, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani officials say the death toll from a massive fuel truck fire the previous day has risen to 157 as four more of the victims died overnight.
The truck was traveling from the southern port city of Karachi to Lahore, the Punjab provincial capital, when the driver lost control and crashed on a highway outside Bahawalpur early Sunday. Scores of villagers rushed to the scene to collect the spilled fuel when the blaze ignited.
Dr. Nahid Ahmed at the Nishter Hospital in Multan says the death toll has steadily been rising and reached 157 on Monday. He says 50 more severely burned victims are being treated at his hospital.
The disaster struck on the eve of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr that follows the holy month of Ramadan.
