KARACHI: At least 13 people, including four children and three women, were killed and 14 others injured when a suspected gas cylinder explosion ripped through a three-storey residential building in Soldier Bazaar No 3 on Wednesday night, rescue officials said.
The blast, which occurred on the first floor, caused a portion of the building to collapse, trapping residents under the debris. Rescue workers rushed to the site and began a search operation using all available resources, despite facing difficulties due to the area’s narrow streets.
Police officials said initial investigations suggest the explosion was caused by a gas leak, possibly from a cylinder or a gas suction machine. Authorities are examining the exact cause of the incident.
Among the deceased were a 10-year-old girl, Nazia, and a 60-year-old man, Mohammad Riaz. Rescue teams also recovered the body of a 17-year-old girl and a woman, while the identification of another victim was still underway at the time of reporting.
A 14-year-old girl was pulled out alive but injured, and several other wounded — including children — were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Rescue authorities said two people are still believed to be trapped beneath the rubble, and efforts to locate them are ongoing. Police have cordoned off the area and tightened security as the search and recovery operation continues.
