2015 Karachi traffic accident

#REDIRECT [[List of traffic collisions (2010–present)#2015]]

{{Short description|Horrific Pakistan road crash}}

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{{Old news|date=March 2024}}{{Infobox public transit accident

| name = 2015 Karachi traffic accident

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| image = Sindh in Pakistan (claims hatched).svg

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| caption = Location of Sindh in Pakistan

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| date = January 10, 2015

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| location = [[Karachi]], [[Sindh]]

| location_city =[[Karachi]]

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| country = [[Pakistan]]

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| cause = [[Traffic collision]]

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| bus =1

| trains =

| vehicles =2

| passengers = 80

| crew =3

| pedestrians =

| deaths = 62

| injuries = 18

| damage = Bus <br /> Oil Tanker

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The '''2015 Karachi traffic accident''' occurred on 10 January 2015, when a passenger bus in transit from [[Karachi]] to [[Shikarpur, Sindh|Shikarpur]] crashed into an oil tanker killing up to 62 people including 6 children.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/820038/bus-oil-tanker-collision-in-karachi-leaves-35-people-dead/|title=62 people die in Pakistan bus accident|publisher=[[The Express Tribune]]|date=11 January 2015|accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref> The bus was carrying up to 80 people, with 62 inside the bus and 10 on top, due to overcrowding.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1156334/fatal-crash-between-bus-oil-tanker-leaves-57-dead-near-karachi|title=62 die in Pakistan road accident|publisher=DAWN|date=January 11, 2015|accessdate=January 11, 2015}}</ref> Traveling in the morning, most of the passengers were asleep when the bus crashed.<ref>{{cite web|title=62 killed in bus-oil tanker collision in southern Pakistan; police blame drivers|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/world/world-others/57-killed-in-bus-oil-tanker-collision-in-southern-pakistan/|publisher=The Indian Express|accessdate=12 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/national_world/2015/01/12/bus-oil-tanker-crash-leaves-at-least-62-dead.html|title=Bus/oil tanker crash leaves at least 62 dead |publisher=The Columbus Dispatch |date=January 12, 2015|accessdate=October 24, 2015}}</ref>

Only traveling a small distance, the bus crashed in the outskirts of Karachi on a single-track road that connects to the [[M-9 Super Highway|Super Highway]]. The crash occurred because of careless driving, as the driver of the tanker was speeding on the wrong side of the road, and poor conditions on the road.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dozens die in bus crash near Pakistani city of Karachi|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-30766412|publisher=BBC|accessdate=12 January 2015}}</ref> Immediately after the crash, a gas cylinder ignited causing the bus to catch on fire. The heat melted some of the metal frame on the bus, causing rescuers to cut open the vehicle to obtain some of the bodies.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Hasan|first1=Syed|title=Bus, Oil Truck Crash in Southern Pakistan, Killing 62|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/bus-oil-truck-crash-in-southern-pakistan-killing-59-1420953773|publisher=Wall Street Journal|accessdate=12 January 2015}}</ref> Up to 62 passengers were killed because of the crash.<ref>{{cite web|last1=ur-Rehman|first1=Zia|title=Scores Killed After Bus Collides With Oil Tanker in Pakistan|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/12/world/asia/dozens-killed-after-bus-collides-with-oil-tanker-in-pakistan.html?module=ArrowsNav&contentCollection=Asia%20Pacific&action=keypress&region=FixedLeft&pgtype=article|work=New York Times|accessdate=12 January 2015}}</ref>

==Aftermath==

After the crash, the driver of the oil tanker fled the scene. According to Dr. Seemi Jamali, the 62 bodies were taken to [[Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre]]. Chief minister of Sindh, [[Qaim Ali Shah]], ordered that there be an investigation into the crash. The bus and victims were completely burned, and DNA testing was carried out for identification of victims.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McKirdy |first=Euan |date=2015-01-12 |title=Scores killed in Pakistan bus collision |url=https://www.cnn.com/2015/01/12/intl_world/karachi-bus-crash/index.html |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> It was later found that the bus driver did not have a valid driving license while a fitness certificate of the bus had already expired by 30 June 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-03-21 |title=Karachi Road Accident --- case study |url=https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/karachi-road-accident-case-study/46118680 |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=SlideShare |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==

*[[List of traffic collisions (2015–present)]]

==References==

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Portal bar|Asia|Pakistan}}

{{coord missing|Pakistan}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Karachi traffic accident, 2015}}

[[Category:2010s in Karachi]]

[[Category:2015 disasters in Pakistan]]

[[Category:2015 road incidents in Asia]]

[[Category:Bus incidents in Pakistan]]

[[Category:2015 in Sindh]]

[[Category:January 2015 in Pakistan]]

[[Category:Disasters in Karachi]]