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At least 19 people have died and at least 32 others were injured inAfghanistanSaturday following a fuel tanker explosion.
Said Himatullah Shamim, a spokesman for the Parwan province, said a fuel tanker caught fire in the Salang Tunnel — a route that connects the country’s north and south — around 8.30 p.m. local time on Saturday night, permultiple outlets.
Shamim added that women and children are among those dead, and casualties could potentially rise due to survivors being trapped under rubble. The cause of the fire is not immediately clear.
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Ministry of Public Works spokesperson Molvi Hamidullah Misbah said Sunday that the fire has since been put out and confirmed that teams are working to clear out the tunnel.
Video fromThe Guardianshows smoke rising at the scene of the fire, which is located about 80 miles north of Kabul. Other clips feature people sitting in the backs of trucks as they travel through dark sections of the tunnel.
The tunnel is located between the provinces of Parwan and Baghlan and is 1.66 miles long. It was completed in 1964 to assist the Soviet Invasion and was also the location of another deadly road accident in1982, as well as several avalanches over a decade ago.
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“We and our humanitarian partners have deployed assessment teams to identity needs in the affected areas. The teams areproviding life-saving assistance to peopleincluding food, water and sanitation, tents, health care service, psychosocial support and other essential supplies,” the United Nations wrote at the time.
source: people.com
