Seven killed in Kabul fuel station fire

At least seven were killed in a fire on Saturday night at a fuel station in the northern part of Kabul city, the Interior Ministry said Sunday.

“Seven people were killed in last night’s fire in District 17 at a fuel station,” said the ministry.

According to the ministry 14 others were injured in the incident. However tanker drivers claim the death toll is higher.

According to the ministry, the incident took place in the Karez-e Mir area in Shakardara district, Kabul province.

On Sunday, a number of drivers and locals affected by the fire took to the Kabul-North highway and blocked the road demanding compensation from government.

According to the district governor, one of the problems is the checkpoint close to the fuel station.

“Several times we have asked government to move the safety cordon of the northern gate of Kabul away from residential houses, but nothing has been done,” Shakara district governor Gohar Khan Babari told Ariana News.

The fire also caused a power outage to the area and other parts of Kabul.

However, according to Da Afghanistan Breshna Shirkat (DABS) technicians were able to reconnect the power lines by early Sunday afternoon.

The exact cause of the fire has not been confirmed but some locals said an IED has been detonated at the fuel station.

Police are investigating the incident.