Tragedy in Hyderabad: truck explosion kills 14

At least 14 people lost their lives and 58 were injured in a devastating blast in Hyderabad caused by the explosion of a truck loaded with a huge gas container. Many of those injured in the incident, which occurred at about 11:45 am on Monday near Grid Station, Hala Naka, are in serious condition.

Law-enforcers have ruled out sabotage, stating instead that that the explosion in the truck, which was said to be carrying 30,000 litres of thinner, had occurred due to high temperatures.

According to eyewitnesses, the truck, whose driver and assistant survived the blast, was parked adjacent to Masjid Qasim Nanotvi. Other trucks parked nearby were also badly damaged and their debris was thrust into the air, landing on nearby shops and hitting bystanders.  The explosion also inflicted serious damage to the electricity supply system. Heavy electricity towers at locations number 35 and 36 and conductors affixed to them fell to the ground. In all, 12 poles carrying high-tension lines also came down, disrupting Hyderabad city’s power supply.

IG Sindh Salahuddin Babar Khattak said that the prevailing high temperatures had increased the pressure in the gas cylinder, which resulted in the explosion.

He said that the initial investigations also support this theory.

SSP Investigation Ghulam Nabi Kerio also said that it was not an act of terrorism. He said that carbon dioxide gas (CO2) was being transported from Multan and the pressure of the gas increased while they were on their way near Moro, which the driver had managed to normalize. He said that the bomb disposal squad also does not suspect subversion. The in charge of the bomb disposal squad Saleem Wastro corroborated this, saying that no trace of any destructive activity was detected.

The injured assistant of the truck driver, Nadeem, who is admitted at the surgical ward of Civil Hospital Hyderabad, narrated that they had picked up the consignment from AlKhair Agencies of Multan and were supposed to deliver it to a beverage factory in Hyderabad. He said that he and the driver had stopped for some food in Hyderabad and left for the factory when suddenly the explosion occurred.

An eyewitness and leader of the Awami National Party Ajmal Shah claimed, while speaking to Express, that welding work was being done on the truck, which then caught fire – resulting in the explosion.

However, this claim is refuted by the testimony of a junk dealer, who told Express that the truck was moving past his shop when it suddenly exploded.

Meanwhile, the electricity supply to many cities, including Saeedabad, Hala, Matiari, Mirpurkhas, Tando Jam, Sanghar, Nawabshah, Tando Allahyar, and to the Hyderabad city feeders of Heerabad, Praitabad-1, Miani Forest, Firdous Colony, Liaquat Colony, Market Tower, and HDA, was suspended.

The police, Rangers as well as volunteers rushed to the scene. An emergency was declared in the Civil Hospital as the dead and injured were rushed there by Edhi and KKF volunteers in ambulances as well as in private vehicles. Overwhelmed, the hospital was disorganised and turbulent.

The scene of the incident itself was also chaotic, with everyone doing as they thought best in the rescue and relief efforts.

The high officials of the police, on their part, kept giving conflicting information about the casualties.

The workers of various social groups and political parties rushed to the scene of the accident and to the Civil Hospital and took part in the relief activities. A medical camp has been established by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) at the Civil Hospital and arrangements to carry the dead bodies to their native areas have been made, while the blood gathered on the birthday of Benazir Bhutto has been shifted to the Civil Hospital on the directives of Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah.

According to eyewitnesses, the blast was so intense that the bodies of six trucks and a car were torn to pieces and were projected in all directions – which also caused massive destruction, hitting bystanders and the nearby shops. A part of a mosque’s structure collapsed, while ten shops located near the parked truck were also damaged. One large part of a truck hit a wall in a nearby residential colony, which caused the wall to collapse. However, no casualty was reported there.

Provincial health minister Dr Saghir Ahmed visited the hospital and announced that the provincial government will pay compensation for the dead and injured in the incident.

A strange scene was witnessed when an MNA from the Pakistan People’s Party visited the scene of the accident causing people to raise slogans against the government. He was also reportedly pushed around. PPP Shaheed Bhutto has strongly condemned the explosion and has announced a three-day mourning period.

Reporting by ALTAF KOTI, ABDULLAH SHAIKH, SABA CHANNA

Published in The Express Tribune, June 29^th, 2010.