ISLAMABAD, June 24 (Xinhua) -- At least six people were killed and 10 others injured when a passenger van caught fire following a collision in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province, rescue officials said Tuesday.
The accident took place on Quetta's Western Bypass, a busy route in the provincial capital, where the van collided with a rickshaw, triggering a fire that engulfed both vehicles, Muhammad Zeeshan, manager of operations at the Edhi Foundation's rescue department in Quetta, told Xinhua.
He added that the rickshaw was carrying petrol illegally, which intensified the blaze.
"The van caught fire immediately after the collision due to the petrol, leaving passengers little time to escape," Zeeshan said. "The fire spread rapidly, trapping many inside the vehicle."
Rescue teams rushed to the scene shortly after the accident. The injured were pulled from the burning van and shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment, where at least two of them were reported to be in critical condition.
Authorities launched an investigation into the accident, focusing on the illegal transportation of flammable materials in passenger vehicles, which remains a recurring hazard in the region. ■
