At least four people died and close to a dozen were injured after a tanker carrying petrol caught fire near Mizoram's Tuirial Airfield on Saturday evening. The incident occurred at Tuirial village, about 18 kilometres east of the state capital Aizawl, at around 6 pm when the tanker was going to Champhai.
Many of those injured or assumed to have been killed were attempting to collect fuel, while others were attempting to put out the fire from the wrecked tanker, locals said.
According to sources, the fire also destroyed three two-wheelers and one taxi.
The death count is expected to rise as the fire burns out and officials and volunteers assess the situation, officials said.
The tanker, which was transporting fuel, was involved in an accident near the Tuirial airstrip and was oozing fuel.
Police sources said that it is yet to be ascertained whether the tanker exploded after colliding with some vehicles or the vehicles collided with the on-fire tanker.
This morning, hundreds of local people were seen around the tanker, collecting fuel that was draining out.
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