At least two people died while 10 others were wounded on Monday after a residential building located in Karachi’s Machhar Colony collapsed due to a gas cylinder explosion, police and rescue officials said.
Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed confirmed the casualty and injuries to Dawn.com. She said the condition of two wounded persons was critical.
Separately, the police said the deceased were aged 45 and 29 years while the injured persons included children aged three and six. The bodies and wounded people have been moved to the Civil Hospital.
According to a statement issued by the Keamari Police, the explosion occurred inside a gas cylinder shop located on the ground floor of a residential building near Bait-ul-Mukarram Masjid.
Rescue teams and police personnel have reached the spot and a rescue operation is underway, it said, adding that there were reports of several people stuck under the rubble.
Footage aired on television showed ambulances making their way through crammed lanes to reach the blast site.
In October, two persons were injured in a huge explosion that occurred inside a pizza joint in Gulshan-i-Iqbal. The police had blamed the accumulation of cooking gas for the explosion.
This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources, such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.
