VIDEO: 10 family members killed as van catches fire near Islamabad

A passenger van carrying tourists crashed and burst into flames near Khajut, a few kilometres from the Pakistan's federal capital Islamabad, on the Islamabad-Murree Expressway on Wednesday, killing at least 10 people and injuring several others, according to motorway officials.

According to the Motorway Police and Murree administration, the victims belonged to the same family and were travelling from Multan to Murree. Most of the passengers in the van were children. According to initial information, 23 tourists were travelling in the vehicle and belonged to Multan.

Murree Deputy Commissioner Agha Zaheer Abbas Shirazi said 23 members of a single family were travelling in the vehicle at the time of the accident. He said the vehicle was travelling at high speed when it collided with a side wall. The impact triggered a fire in the engine compartment, while the van's sliding door became locked, trapping passengers inside.

According to the Motorway Police spokesperson, the van fell into a drain after the crash and immediately caught fire. Earlier reports said the vehicle had hit a side wall due to overspeeding before the fire broke out.

A heavy contingent of Motorway Police and the Murree administration reached the site, where rescue and relief operations remained underway.

The deputy commissioner said bodies and injured passengers were shifted to nearby hospitals, as well as the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad.

A Motorway Police spokesperson said the passenger van plunged into a ravine while negotiating a turn near Khajut. The victims also included 10 children, he added.

The spokesperson said the van overturned onto the side where its door was located, making it impossible for passengers to open the exit and escape the blaze.

According to Rescue officials, all 23 passengers aboard the van belonged to Multan and had departed for Murree at around 2am. Rescue 1122 teams, Motorway Police personnel and officials from the Forest Department participated in the rescue operation, while emergency activities continued at the accident site.

Authorities launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Meanwhile, a PIMS spokesperson said 10 injured passengers had been brought to the hospital, adding that the condition of two of them was critical.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident and conveyed condolences to the bereaved families. She also directed authorities to ensure immediate and the best possible medical treatment for the injured and sought a report on the incident.

Rescue officials said the sliding door of the vehicle was locked after the crash, making it difficult for passengers to escape.
 
The Motorway Police spokesperson said the van fell on the side from where the doors could not be opened, worsening the impact of the fire.
 
 Rescue 1122, Motorway Police, Murree administration and Forest Department personnel reached the site soon after the accident.