At least 10 dead, 25 trapped after explosions on oil tanker in Pakistan

Multiple explosions on an oil tanker being dismantled Tuesday in western Pakistan have left at least 10 people dead and injured 54, while some 25 are still trapped, an official told EFE.


The accident occurred at a ship-breaking yard in Gadani after a fire broke out following several explosions inside of an oil tanker that was being disassembled, local police spokesperson Nasrullah Roonjho told EFE.

The official said that although the exact reason behind the explosion remains unknown, it may have been caused by gas cylinders.

He added that ten people working to dismantle the tanker died in the blasts, another 54 were wounded and around 25 remained trapped inside the ship.

Rescue teams are working to rescue those caught inside the tanker while the wounded have been taken to nearby hospitals, which were alerted of the incident by authorities.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident and asked rescue teams to speed up operations.

Gadani is one of the world's biggest ship-breaking yards with a capacity to break up 130 ships over 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) and employing some 150,000 people.
 EFE
1/11/16