At least 10 tourists lost their lives and 13 others sustained injuries after a passenger van crashed and caught fire near Khajut on the Islamabad-Murree Expressway. The incident occurred on Wednesday, involving a vehicle carrying 23 family members.
Murree Deputy Commissioner Agha Zaheer Abbas Shirazi stated that the van was traveling at high speed when it collided with a side wall. The collision caused a fire in the engine compartment, while the sliding door of the van became jammed, trapping passengers inside the burning vehicle.
Rescue teams from the Motorway Police and Murree administration promptly arrived at the scene to conduct relief operations. The deceased and injured were transported to nearby hospitals and the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad for medical treatment.
A Motorway Police spokesperson explained that the van had plunged into a ravine while negotiating a turn near Khajut. Notably, the victims included 10 children. The van overturned onto the side where the door was located, preventing passengers from opening it to escape the fire.
Rescue officials confirmed that all 23 passengers were from Multan and had departed for Murree around 2 a.m. Rescue 1122 teams, Motorway Police, and Forest Department personnel participated in the ongoing rescue efforts at the accident site.
Authorities have initiated an investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire and the circumstances leading to the crash. Meanwhile, a spokesperson from PIMS reported that 10 injured individuals were admitted to the hospital, with two in critical condition.
In a significant development, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed sorrow over the tragic loss of lives and extended condolences to the families affected. She also instructed officials to provide immediate and optimal medical care to the injured and requested a detailed report on the incident.
