Quetta gas explosions leave five dead
Five people including a police officer and four children were killed in two separate gas explosions in Quetta on Wednesday.
Gas leakage and explosions have claimed nine lives in the past 48 hours in the city as on Tuesday four people of a family died of suffocation, creating widespread panic among the local residents.
Two women were also burnt in the explosions in Kharotabad and Sabzal Road.
Police told The Express Tribune four children along with their mothers were sleeping in a room in Badainzai, Kharotabad where a blast occurred. As a result the roof collapsed and all of them were caught under the debris.
The explosion occurred when a family member tried to light a gas heater as the room had been filled with gas due to leakage caused by load shedding.
All the children died on the spot and two women suffered critical wounds. The bodies and the injured were rushed to Bolan Medical Complex (BMC) Hospital where the condition of the injured is stated to be serious. In a separate incident a sub inspector of police, Shabir Ahmed Gujjar, died in an explosion also caused by gas leakage in Podgali Chowk, Sabzal Road area of Quetta.
He was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
It may be recalled that on Tuesday a man along with three sons died due to suffocation caused by gas leakage in Quetta. The unfortunate man was a shopkeeper and they had rented a room adjacent to his shop where he slept with his sons. All of them died in their sleep due to suffocation as the room was filled with gas.
Local residents demanded of SSGC – the gas utility – to take notice of the situation as unannounced gas load shedding was resulting in the loss of precious lives across the province.
Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo has also expressed concern over the increasing incidents of gas explosion and leakage.
In a statement issued from the CM secretariat, it was claimed that the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) officials did not respond to the CM secretariat regarding the untoward incidents in the city.
Bizenjo demanded of the federal government to take notice of the SSGC’s behavior towards the people of Balochistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 26th, 2023.