Family tragedy

The death of six members of a single family who died when their van caught fire last Sunday near the Nursery area of Karachi is hardly a new story. Similar mishaps have occurred before on our roads, and no doubt will occur again until we can repair the roads as well as the system of rescue available in Karachi and also regulate the quality of public transport. Eleven members from a single family were out on a picnic when the van they were in suddenly caught fire with 11 persons including four children trapped inside it. A gas cylinder explosion has been ruled out since all the cylinders in the van were found intact. Short circuiting is suspected. The van driver initially fled the scene, but has since been arrested – and, as per reports, been booked for murder along with the owner of the van. As is the norm in such cases, the Sindh chief minister ordered an inquiry. According to the report submitted after the probe, the van the victims were in is said to have been in an ‘unfit’ condition. We have all seen – and experienced – how easily it is to dupe the system and get away with fitness certificates for vehicles that should certainly not be allowed on the roads.

Perhaps some of the victims at least could have been saved or the injuries of others who now lie in Karachi hospitals minimised had rescue services appeared on the scene in time. Despite phone calls made by bystanders on the spot, fire engines and ambulances turned up only two hours later. By then, people present in the area had themselves pulled the dead or the dying out of the burning vehicle. One of the victims, a teenager, said that his uncle told him to open the door and jump out as quickly as possible to save his own life. Authorities then, it appears, have no role to play in the life or death of citizens. This problem has occurred before in Karachi where there is an acute dearth of fire tenders and other equipment. Only a few of those actually function. As a result, what should be joyous family outings can so quickly turn into a tragedy. Essentially, such accidents are not a result of just one or two conditions. A whole lot of state negligence goes into the making of such tragedies. What is really needed is for the state to take people’s lives seriously. For that, those running our cities need to prioritise road safety, rescue services and vehicle inspection. How many more families are to die before our representatives wake up and do their duty?