RAHIM YAR KHAN – Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed has announced compensation money of Rs1.5 million to the deceased while Rs0.5 million for the injured victims of Tezgam Express blaze incident in Rahim Yar Khan.
In a statement, the minister said that the government has announced to give compensation money for the bereaved families of the victims.
Earlier today, as many as 70 people lost their lives, scores of others sustained burn injuries after three carriages of a Tezgam Express caught fire due to explosion in a gas stove with cylinder near Talwari Station in Liaquatpur area.
According to the railway’s minister, the fire was erupted in train’s economy class by a cylinder blast that occurred in the morning when passengers belonging to a Tableeghi Jamaat were preparing their breakfast. He said that bogies severely damaged by the fire have been detached by the rest of the train.
The minister continued that there is a need to strictly follow railway rules as cooking is strictly prohibited in the trains.
Pakistan Army soldiers have reached the accident spot and are assisting in relief and rescue efforts. An army helicopter was also dispatched from Multan in order to rescue the injured.
Emergency has been declared in all hospitals of the district as the injured are being shifted to various hospitals.
Head of the district rescue service Baqir Husain has feared that the death toll could rise.
