Computer hardware warehouse collapses after gas leak

One killed as blast sparks a blaze in the warehouse after its roof and walls came crashing down

KARACHI:

A computer hardware warehouse collapsed after a huge explosion caused by a gas leak in North Nazimabad, police and witnesses said on Saturday.

The powerful blast sparked a blaze in the warehouse after its roof and walls came crashing down. Tragically, the watchman on duty was buried under the debris and lost his life, leaving behind a grieving family of four children.

The incident unfolded in the early hours of Saturday within a bungalow housing the warehouse near Peoples Chowrangi in Block N. Police arrived at the scene and promptly summoned the fire brigade, bomb disposal squad, and rescue agencies. The fire brigade swiftly brought the raging flames under control, while rescue teams worked to extricate the watchman's body from underneath the debris. The deceased, identified as Muhammad Salman and resident of Liaquatabad, has left behind a grieving family of four children.

Witnesses recalled hearing two deafening explosions followed by chaotic scattering of computer parts throughout the warehouse. The ensuing fire engulfed the premises, causing extensive structural damage and eventual collapse of the building.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 2^nd, 2023.