One person was killed and four others, including the Assistant Commissioner of Taftan, were injured when a fire broke out in an LPG tanker in Pakistan’s border town of Taftan in the Chagai district, Balochistan, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Thursday.
According to administrative sources, the deceased was identified as Manzoor Ali, a resident of Noshki district.
Four people sustained injuries in the incident, among them the Assistant Commissioner of Taftan, who Chagai officials said suffered only minor wounds.
The fire erupted in an LPG tanker before triggering a powerful explosion, sending flames rapidly across a wide area and sparking panic among local residents.
Chagai authorities said the intensity of the blaze caused fear and chaos in the surrounding locality.
Iranian firefighters joined local rescue teams in battling the fire, reflecting the cross-border cooperation at the Taftan frontier.
Officials said approximately 80 percent of the fire had been brought under control by the time of filing this report.
The blaze also resulted in financial losses, though authorities said the extent of the damage would be assessed after the situation is fully stabilised.
An investigation has been initiated to determine the cause of the explosion and subsequent fire.
Taftan is a key road and railway town in Balochistan's Chagai district and serves as one of Pakistan’s main border crossings with Iran.
Located more than 500 kilometres from Quetta by road or rail, it lies close to the Iranian border town of Mirjaveh and near the thermally active Taftan peak situated inside Iran.
Reporter: Essa Tareen