Over 123 people feared dead as villagers fetch oil from tanker that overtuned causing deadly fire

More than 120 people have been reported to have died following a fire that broke out on Sunday morning at accident scene where an oil tanker overturned in Central Pakistan injuring several others.

"At least 123 people have been killed and more than 100 wounded in a fire which erupted after an oil tanker turned over and victims rushed to collect spilt fuel," Mohammad Saleem Afzal, a senior government official confirmed to the local media.

The incident is said to have occurred near Ahmedpur East, some 670 kilometres (416 miles) south of the capital Islamabad and officials are yet to confirm what might have led to the tanker accident.

"People living in roadside villages, carrying domestic pots rushed to the scene to collect oil and they also made phone calls to their relatives living in other villages to immediately come to collect oil," sources told the media.

Hospitals in Pakistan have been alerted on the emergency with the military sending army helicopters to evacuate those that had been wounded.

In 2015 the country experience another deadly incident where about 62 people died and mostly the incidences have been attributed to reckless driving and poor state of Pakistani road networks.

However, authorities have pointed at possibilities of people smoking at the scene having been a likely cause of the fire.