LPG gas shop explosion leaves 40 injured

14 with critical injuries shifted to Karachi; victims include 19 children and two women

HYDERABAD:

An explosion in a shop selling Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in a densely populated area of Hyderabad left at least 40 persons injured on Thursday. The victims include 19 children, aged between four to 18 years, and two women, aged 25 and 55.

The fire broke out because of the gas leakage which occurred during the decanting process of filling LPG from a large cylinder to a small one in the shop located under a residential building in Pareetabad.

Hyderabad’s deputy commissioner Zainul Abideen Memon said that the shop was running illegally and had no permit.

Liaquat University Hospital Burn Ward received 38 patients and 14 of them with critical injuries were shifted to Karachi. The narrow streets and distance of a fire station from the site delayed the firefighting operation. A fire station in Pareetabad was closed over a year ago and its staff was transferred to other stations in the city.

At the time of the incident, the nearest fire tender of the Market area was busy supplying water to the LUH which is facing a serious water shortage.

Blazes from the shop engulfed the building, trapping children studying in a local seminary located in the same building.

An injured woman in the hospital said she used to criticize the shop’s owner Akram for running his risky business in a residential locality. She alleged that the police used to take bribes from Akram for allowing him to carry on his ‘illegal business’.

The Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Asif Hyder Shah has asked Commissioner Hyderabad Ahsan Qureshi to submit a report and ensure the best possible medical treatment for the victims. Mayor Kashif Ali Shoro along with Hyderabad deputy commissioner visited the site of the incident.

In a traditional incident-triggered response of the authorities, the DC said his administration will immediately seal the LPG shops operating unlawfully in residential areas. He also urged the public to inform his office if they witness such unlawful businesses in their neighborhoods. SSP Farrukh Ali Lanjar said he would collaborate with DC for action against such businesses.

The LPG shops not only sell gas for domestic use but also fill cylinders fitted in cars, rickshaws, and goods transport vehicles in blatant violation of the rules and regulations of the Oil and Gas Registration Authority (OGRA). Such shops can be found on the main roads, streets, and even in small neighborhoods. Often underage children are seen filling LPG cylinders at these businesses.