At least seven people were charred to death and 14 others injured when a passenger van caught fire in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province on Saturday, police officials said.

Police told locals that the accident occurred in Bhalwal town of the province’s Sargodha district when a liquefied petroleum gas cylinder fitted in the van leaked and exploded, killing five people on the spot while two others sustained injuries. Died while being taken to the hospital. Media.

Police said at least 14 passengers suffered burns of varying degrees, Xinhua news agency reported. He said that women and children were also among the victims of this unfortunate incident.

An eyewitness told the media that several bodies were charred beyond recognition in the fire that broke out in the passenger van.

After the incident, police and rescue teams reached the spot and doused the fire. Rescue workers took the injured, many of them in critical condition, to a nearby hospital.

The police have started an investigation into the fire.