'Seolsanggasang' Pakistani Flood Victims Suffer Tragedy in Bus Fire

Cause of fire not accurately determined
Police say "High possibility of short circuit related to air conditioner facilities"
About 33 million people, approximately 15% of Pakistan's population, affected by floods

Passengers had been staying in evacuation centers as flood victims and were on their way back to their hometowns. Most of them were residents of the Dadu area in Sindh Province, which suffered significant damage from the recent floods, adding to the sorrow. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Bang Je-il] A fire broke out on a bus carrying flood victims returning home in Pakistan, killing more than 18 people.

According to Pakistani media including Geo News on the 13th (local time), a fire broke out on a bus heading to Karachi on the highway in Jamshoro, Sindh province in southern Pakistan, on the night of the 12th.

According to the police, there were about 80 passengers on the bus, and when the fire broke out, many passengers escaped immediately, but some children and women were unable to get out in time.

An official from the Jamshoro authorities said, "18 people died, including 8 children and 9 women, and more than 10 were injured in this accident."

The passengers were flood victims who had been staying in evacuation centers and were on their way back to their hometowns. Most of them were residents of the Dadu area in Sindh province, which suffered severe damage from the recent floods, adding to the tragedy.

The exact cause of the fire has not been determined. The police suspect that the fire likely started due to a short circuit related to the air conditioning system.

The police stated, "After the fire started in the air conditioning unit at the rear of the bus, the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames in an instant." The police and local authorities have begun a detailed investigation into the cause of the fire while managing the evacuation of the injured and handling the aftermath of the accident.

During the monsoon season that began in mid-June in Pakistan, much heavier rainfall than usual caused about one-third of the country to be submerged, resulting in significant damage. The floods have caused approximately 1,700 deaths and about 10,300 injuries nationwide.

The Pakistani government announced that about 33 million people, or roughly 15% of the population, were affected by the floods.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.