2022 Salang Tunnel fire
 Interior shot of the tunnel taken in November 2013 | |
  Explosion | |
| Date | 18 December 2022 |
|---|---|
| Time | 20:30 AFT (UTC+04:30) |
| Location | Salang Tunnel, Afghanistan |
| Coordinates | 35°18′36″N 69°02′33″E / 35.3100°N 69.0425°E |
| Type | Fuel tanker explosion |
| Deaths | 31 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 37 |
On 18 December 2022, a tanker truck exploded in the Salang Tunnel in Afghanistan, killing at least 31 people.
Background
[edit]The Salang Tunnel was built in the 1960s and its 2.67 km (1.66 mi) length connects the Parwan and Baghlan provinces.[1] It is known to be one of the most dangerous tunnels in the world.[2] Due to the lack of ventilation and illumination, dust and fumes reduce visibility to only a few meters. A fire in 1982 killed at least 168 Soviet soldiers and Afghans (according to the Soviet estimate), and carbon monoxide buildup killed 16 Soviet servicemen in 1980.[3]
Disaster
[edit]On 18 December 2022, a fuel tanker exploded and caught fire in the Salang Tunnel.[4][5][6][7] The explosion occurred at around 8:30 pm and the cause of the blast is not yet known.[8] The resulting fire made it difficult to evacuate victims with flames spreading from the tanker to other cars in the tunnel.[9] According to Said Himatullah Shamim, a spokesman for the Parwan Province, survivors of the blast were still buried under the debris, and the number of casualties was expected to climb.[10]
Molvi Hamidullah Misbah, a spokesman for the ministry of public works, stated earlier on Sunday that the fire had been put out and that rescue workers were still attempting to clear the tunnel.[10]
Victims
[edit]At least 31 people were killed[11] and over 30 others injured by the explosion, with numbers expected to rise.[1] According to Dr. Abdullah Afghan, a local representative of the Parwan health department, the victims included two children and ten females. Some of the casualties were so badly burned that it was impossible to identify them.[10]
Response
[edit]A deputy spokesperson for the Taliban government, Qari Yusuf Ahamdi, said "The Islamic Emirate expresses its deepest condolences to the families and the victims".[12]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Popalzai, Ehsan (2022-12-18). "Fuel tanker tunnel fire kills at least 19 in Afghanistan". CNN. Retrieved 2022-12-19.
- ^ "Salang Tunnel is hostile and toxic". www.dangerousroads.org. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
- ^ In Russian Archived 2007-12-16 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Yawar, M. Y.; Greenfield, C. (19 December 2022). Chopra, T. (ed.). "Death toll from Afghanistan tunnel fire rises to 31". Reuters. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Accident in Afghanistan's Salang Tunnel kills at least 12". The Express Tribune. December 18, 2022.
- ^ "12 killed as oil tanker catches fire in Afghanistan's Salang pass". Brecorder. December 18, 2022.
- ^ "Accident in Afghanistan's Salang Tunnel kills at least 12". Reuters. 18 December 2022.
- ^ "Fuel tanker tunnel blast kills at least 19 in Afghanistan". spectrumnews1.com. Retrieved 2022-12-19.
- ^ "Death Toll from Salang Tunnel Fire Leaps to 31". The Khaama Press News Agency. 2022-12-19. Retrieved 2022-12-19.
- ^ a b c "Many killed after fuel tanker explodes in tunnel in Afghanistan". the Guardian. Associated Press. December 18, 2022.
- ^ "Death Toll in Salang Tunnel Fire Increases to 31; Casualties May Rise". Tolo News. 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Afghan's Salang Tunnel explosion kills 12". South Coast Register. 2022-12-18. Retrieved 2022-12-20.