At least 40 people have been killed after firecrackers exploded on a bus carrying guests back from a wedding in Lahore, eastern Pakistan.
Police said there were about 50 people on the bus. The other passengers were taken to hospital and eight are in a serious condition.

Police said many of the victims were women and children who died from suffocation as there was just one exit.

Fireworks cause many deaths in Pakistan through poor safety and storage.

"It took seconds until the bus was engulfed by flames and people hardly had any chance to rescue anyone," said Senior Superintendent Aamir Zulfikar of Lahore's North Cantonment.


Many of the bodies were burned beyond recognition.

Local residents told AFP news agency the blast occurred after a small boy threw firecrackers from a rear window of the bus.

The chief minister of Punjab province, Chaudhry Pervez Illahi, has ordered an investigation into the explosion.

The BBC's Shahid Malik in Lahore says fireworks are very popular during the wedding season just before winter.

Many people have died in similar accidents, he says, although this is one of the worst tragedies of its kind in terms of casualties.

Najane logon ko kab samajh aaye gi aur kab wo aatish-bazi se baaz aain gay.......aur aatish bazi ka samaan rakha bhi aurton aur bachon waali bus mein hai , bhala hai koi tuk?? kisi bachay ne ker di ho gi koi shararat .........iss na-aqli ki wajah se kitni qeemti jaanein zaaya ho gayi.....afsoas..........laikin ab bhi koi nahin samjhay ga.

kuch logooN nay kisi smoker per blame diya hay kay uss nay in kay aatish.geer maday kay nazdeek cig. sulgaya!!!


mujhay ab zinda bach janay walooN maiN say dulhan ki fikar sab say zyada hay, ghaliban ab tak ussay manhoos aur na janaay kya kuch declare kiya ja chuka hoga!!! aur sari umer yeh waqaya uss kay liya tana ban jaye ga !!!

1. Allah marnay walouN ki maghferta karay. aameen.
2. bach janay walouN pat apna fazl o karam karay. aameen
3. aur ham sab ko aqlay saleem ata karay k hum ayandah iss qism ki un-safe harkaat say baaz ajayaiN........ basant qareeb hai ... dekhna yeh hai k hum porani ghaltiyaan dohratay haiN yaa oss say sabaq seekhtay hsiN.

Kya humne apni poori history mein kabhi ghalti se bhi kisi ghalti se sabaq seekha hai.