74 passengers killed in Pakistan train inferno

A massive fire broke out on a train in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province on Thursday after two gas cylinders exploded while some pilgrims were cooking breakfast, killing at least 74 people, mostly Islamic preachers travelling to attend a well-known religious congregation.

The popular train, Tezgam Express, was on its way to Rawalpindi from Karachi when the fire broke out early morning, gutting three compartments which had over 200 passengers, including women and children, at Liaquatpur near Rahim Yar Khan district, some 400 kms from Lahore, authorities said.

The death toll was confirmed by Railways Minister Shiekh Rashid Ahmad, The Express Tribune reported. Officials said over 40 people were seriously injured in the tragedy and the toll could rise.

The fire destroyed three of the train's compartments, including two economy class carriages and one business class carriage.

Ahmad said that most of the victims belonged to the Tableeghi Jamaat (Islamic preachers) who were going to Lahore to attend a major annual congregation at Raiwind town.

The headquarters of the Tablighi Jamaat is in Raiwind and the town hosts the Tablighi Ijtema, an annual religious congregation, which this year was held on Thursday.

"Two stoves blew up when people were cooking breakfast, the presence of kerosene with the passengers in (the) moving train further spread the fire," Ahmad said.

He said that the passengers who were using the cylinders were stopped by a guard and the driver from doing so. "In front of the guard they turned off the stove, but when he left, they turned it back on."