RAWALPINDI  - At least three people, including an 8-year-old boy and woman, were killed and 25 others injured when a passenger coach fell into a deep ravine near Treet area in the limits of Police Station Murree here on Sunday.
According to police and Rescue 1122, a coach with 30 passengers on board was coming from Murree to Rawalpindi, when its break failed and its skid off the road plunging into a deep ravine near Treet area. As a result, three passengers were killed while 25 other injured.
The local volunteers, police and rescuers rushed to the spot and shifted the injured and dead to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
Police Chowky Treet Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Muhammad Ashraf, who was present on the scene, when contacted, said that the coach was coming from Murree to Faizabad when it plunged into deep ravine. “Three people have died on the spot while four of the injured were in serious condition,” he informed. He said that they couldn’t ascertain the cause of mishap as the driver was also among the injured and shifted to PIMS.
He said over 30 passengers were on board. However, City Traffic Police Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Malik Sabir said that the incident happened after coach’s brakes failed.
“The driver lost control over the coach after its brakes failed and plunged into a ravine,” said Sabir. He said that Murree traffic police also shifted six persons in their vans of whom, an eight-year old boy and 45-year woman died.
Zameer Abbasi, a local, told The Nation that the locals also took part in rescue operation. He said that the coach collided with a barrier on the roadside and then plunged into the ravine.
He said that trees along the mountainside highway prevented the coach from hitting the bottom otherwise the casualty might be greater in number as the ravine was very deep. The DSP said local people also helped the rescue workers and police in rescuing the injured.
Rescue officials face hardships in rescuing the injured due to dark and broken tree branches. Doctors at the emergency unit said that 28 persons have been shifted to the hospital by Rescue 1122. Three of them were declared brought dead.
They said sex of them have sustained critical wounds and have been admitted while those who have minor injuries were discharged after first aid.
The names of the dead and injured could not be ascertained till filing of the report.