One dead, five injured in DHA blast

Police suspect LPG cylinder leakage, say no evidence of terrorism found

KARACHI:

As many as six persons were injured in a gas explosion that took place on Monday at an online food delivery shop on Khayaban-e- Jami, Defence. One of the injured died during treatment.

The explosion took place due to the leakage of gas, police said, dispelling any chances of terrorism. The intensity of the blast was such that window panes of nearby buildings were shattered while a car and several motorcycles parked outside the shop were also damaged. The façade of the shop collapsed due to the blast.

Police, Rangers and rescue teams rushed to the spot and shifted the injured initially to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and then to the Burns Ward of Dr Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital.

According to rescue officials, the injured include 16-year-old Shah Noor son of Shehzad, 35-year-old Zohaib son of Maqsood, 30-year- old Amir son of Sagheer and 26-year-old Anil son of Nauman.

The name of one of the critically injured could not be known immediately, while Faraz died during treatment.

The police officials also called the bomb disposal unit and the crime investigation cell after the incident.

Bomb disposal officials said that the incident occurred due to gas leak. Officials found no evidence of terrorism, however, the police are investigating the incident from different angles.

Eateries and even homeowners are forced to use LPG cylinders due to shortage of piped gas.

Sometimes, an old rusted cylinder develops a leak, the gas accumulates in the room and when a match is lighted there is a huge
explosion.

In one such incident in April 2021, a woman and her two chil- dren lost their lives while six others were seriously wounded when a gas cylinder exploded at an eatery in Gulistan-e-Jauhar.

The woman along with her children had arrived to visit her brother’s residence and had reached the building’s stairs when the explosion occurred in the shop next to them, killing them on the spot.

Besides casualties, the explosion also caused damaged to three shops and vehicles, and shattered windowpanes of nearby shops and buildings.

Later in April 2021, two employees were seriously injured when a fire broke out in a restaurant after a cylinder explosion in Malir Model Colony of Karachi.