Mizoram: Death Toll Rises To 6, Dozens Still In Hospital In Oil Tanker Explosion

Guwahati: The death toll in the oil tanker fire rose to six after two injured persons succumbed to their injuries in Mizoram’s Aizawl district, officials said on Thursday.

On October 29, an oil tanker in Aizawl carrying 22,000 litres of petrol toppled on National Highway-6. Around 6 pm, while villagers and motorists passing by were collecting petrol leaking from the tanker, it caught fire and exploded.

However, at least four people were killed on the spot, and 17 others were injured, police said.

The two men, aged 41 and 37, succumbed to their injuries on Wednesday, officials stated.

One of them was undergoing treatment at the Zoram Medical College (ZMC), and the other person was admitted at a private hospital in Aizawl.

As per sources, the tanker was on its way to Champhai town near the Myanmar border when the accident took place.

The driver of the tanker, who escaped after the accident, is yet to be arrested, the police officer said.

The official further added that the officials in Assam informed police around 4.30 pm of the accident after which district police immediately rushed to the scene.

The police reached the spot, the oil tanker had already caught fire, he said.

Police suspect someone might have lit a cigarette near the oil tanker causing the explosion.