KARACHI:
At least nine people sustained burn injuries late Sunday night after a fire broke out following an explosion in a gas pipeline in a residential area in Lyari, Karachi.
The fire erupted near the Sabri Mosque situated in Gulistan Colony. The injured include the mosque's prayer leader; all have been taken to the Civil Hospital Burns Centre.
A spokesperson for the city police identified the injured as 20-year-old Ikramullah, son of Umar Sherin, 50-year-old Qari Akhtar, son of Manzoor Ahmed, 42-year-old Muhammad Younis, son of Muhammad Yaqub, 35-year-old Asif, son of Muhammad Younis, 47-year-old Wazirzada, son of Faqir, 17-year-old Omar Shah, son of Mohammad Alam, 55-year-old Mohammad Israr, son of Mohammad Nawaz, 22-year-old Adnan, son of Umarzada, and 42-year-old Mufti Nasir, son of Haji Khushal.
According to medical sources, Qari Akhtar, the injured prayer leader has sustained serious injuries and is in a critical condition. The other victims are stated to be out of danger.
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The spokesperson for the fire brigade stated that the explosion occurred due to a leak in the gas pipeline. It took an hour for the fire brigade to put out the blaze completely.
The houses around the mosque were reportedly evacuated due to the severity of the fire.
Two weeks ago, a fire broke out in the Nizarat or the impound yard of the court in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, setting hundreds of motorcycles, cars, buses and rickshaws under court custody on fire.
Stacks of black smoke could be seen from many kilometres away.
According to fire brigade officials, four vehicles were dispatched to the spot as soon as the fire was reported. Considering the severity of the fire, two more vehicles were called while a water tank supplied water to the fire brigade.
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