LARKANA, May 3: Four commuters were burnt alive while 13 others received burn wounds on Friday when a passenger wagon (R-0240) going to Nasirabad caught fire near Bugti village, five kilometres from Larkana.

One of the passengers who received minor burn injuries, Fida Hussain Jinjh, told journalists while being treated in the emergency of the Chandka Medical College Hospital that he head heard a blast moments after fire had engulfed the wagon. “I was sitting close to a window so I jumped for my life,” he said.

Residents of nearby villages and police from the Taluka police station arrived at the site if the incident after the passengers raised hue and cry for help. The fire brigade arrived some time after and put out the fire.

The wagon was totally burnt. Four completely charred bodies of three women and one child were recovered from the van, according to Larkana Headquarters SP Muhammed Nadeem.

Quoting one of the injured, Sabira Brohi, he said that the identities of the victims were Shahida, Khairjan, Gul Khatoon and Ahmed.

Meanwhile Taluka police station SHO Sartaj Jagirani told Dawn that all the four passengers belonged to one family of Nasirabad.

He said that the bodies were handed over to the relatives after medico legal formalities, adding that the wounded included Khan Muhammed Kathiyo, Munir Ahmed Shabrani, Sabira Brohi, Irshad Khatoon, Sufi Hidayatullah Soho, Khalid Hussain Kalhoro, Iftekhar (a resident of Sukkur) and Mukhtair Kori. They were admitted in the Chandka Medical College Hospital. The driver fled the scene but sources told Dawn that he had been taken into custody and was being interrogated by the police.

As the news broke, former Sindh Assembly speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, provincial assembly candidate Haji Munwar Ali Abbasi, former Sindh minister Ayaz Soomro and other candidates contesting from Larkana reached the hospital to inquire about the health of the wounded.

The police, on the basis of findings of the bomb disposal squad, said that the fire had been caused by a short circuit.

Meanwhile, taking notice of the incident, Larkana SSP Syed Pir Muhammed warned the transporters to complete fitness tests of vehicles till May 11 otherwise they would be taken to task.

No case had been registered till Friday night.

15 huts gutted Around 15 thatched huts were reduced to ashes when a fire erupted in Jogi Mohalla, near the main bus terminal, on Friday.

The fire spread fast with fast wind and burnt 15 huts to ashes.

Residents including Nadeem, Gulab, Hubdar and Shabbir said that the fire had destroyed all their belongings and complained that the fire brigade had arrived after about half an hour. They said that the fire had been caused by an electrical short circuit.