Faisalabad chemical factory blast kills 20

FAISALABAD:

A powerful explosion at a chemical factory in Faisalabad's Malikpur area on Friday triggered a massive fire and caused the collapse of ten nearby houses, killing at least 20 people and injuring seven others, according to rescue officials.

The blast, which occurred early in the morning at a factory producing adhesives near Shahab Town's Kabaddi Stadium Ground, was heard across the city. Flames quickly engulfed the factory and spread to adjacent structures, causing roofs and walls of nearby homes to collapse and trapping entire families under the rubble.

The victims include women, children, elderly residents, and factory labourers.

Rescue 1122 teams, supported by heavy machinery and 150 personnel, retrieved bodies and survivors during a ten-hour operation overseen by District Emergency Officer (DEO) Engineer Ehtisham Wahla. A total of 31 rescue vehicles were deployed to the site.

Meanwhile, traffic police kept the route to Allied Hospital clear as the dead and injured were transported. The district administration imposed an emergency at both Allied hospitals and summoned senior doctors.

According to officials, the victims included 10 members of two families. Among the deceased were 42-year-old Fakhra Bibi, her three young children Jannat, Maham and Ali Husnain, as well as 62-year-old Maqsooda Bibi, her husband Muhammad Shafiq, their son Muhammad Irfan, and multiple children from neighbouring households.

The youngest victims were aged just one, two, three and four.

Those injured included Riffat Bibi (32), Younis (65), Moazzam (17), Liaqat (55), Ahsan (30), Nadeem (16) and Ashraf (15).

Rescue workers said breathing became difficult during the operation due to the chemical fumes, forcing responders to use masks.

Deputy Commissioner Faisalabad Captain (r) Nadeem Nisar, SSP Operations Nasser Mahmood Bajwa, the chief traffic officer and SP Madina Town supervised the rescue effort at the site. Residents of Malikpur also joined emergency teams in removing rubble and assisting victims.

Reacting to the tragedy, Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz and National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and sought a detailed report from Faisalabad Commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar.

They directed a full investigation into the explosion.

According to the FIR lodged at Mansoorabad police station, Sub-Inspector Ahtisham Abbas stated that while on patrol, he received a call about the blast.

Upon reaching the scene, he found the factory and nearby homes demolished and victims trapped. Local residents were already trying to pull people out until rescue teams arrived.

The FIR alleges that factory owner Qaiser Chughtai, manager Bilal Ali Imran and five employees had been repeatedly warned about storing "dangerous chemical and highly inflammable material" in a container next to a populated area.

Residents had lodged multiple complaints, fearing a major disaster.

Police said the owners ignored the warnings and continued stockpiling hazardous chemicals until the container exploded, killing 20 people and injuring seven.

A case has been registered under sections 302, 324, 336B, 440, 147, 149, Section 3/4 of the Explosives Act and 7-ATA. Police have launched a search for the factory owner, manager and employees named in the FIR.