Explosion at Bahawalpur varsity injures seven

Gas leak suspected as cause; one victim in critical condition

BAHAWALPUR:

A powerful explosion occurred in the building of the Department of Desert Studies at Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB), resulting in the collapse of the structure and injuring seven individuals, one of whom is in critical condition.

Initial reports indicate that the explosion was caused by a gas leak.

The incident took place at the Baghdad Campus of Islamia University Bahawalpur, where the Department of Desert Studies is located.

As per the rescue teams, a significant portion of the building collapsed due to the blast, trapping seven people, including the department chairman, under the debris.

Rescue teams promptly arrived at the scene and managed to extract all seven injured individuals from the rubble.

Among the injured are two students, identified as Muzammil and Ashfaq, two support staff, and the department's director, Dr Abdullah.

The injured were immediately transferred to Victoria Hospital for medical treatment. Rescue operations are still ongoing to clear the debris.

According to the rescue report, the explosion was attributed to a gas leak, although it is not yet clear whose negligence led to the incident.

The university administration has also arrived at the scene and is conducting investigations.

Rescue sources mentioned that due to university holidays, the damage was minimized. Had the incident occurred during regular university hours, the presence of students could have led to a greater catastrophe.