Gas cylinder explosion in Islamabad kills eight

ISLAMABAD:

A wedding celebration in the federal capital turned into a scene of devastation on Sunday when a powerful explosion ripped through a house in Sector G-7/2, killing at least eight people, including the bride and groom, and injuring 12 others, according to officials.

The blast occurred while wedding festivities were underway, with guests present inside the house.

Emergency services rushed to the site as debris scattered across the area, damaging nearby structures and trapping people under the rubble.

Rescue teams managed to pull all those trapped from the wreckage, while an inquiry was ordered to determine the exact cause of the explosion, which officials initially linked to a gas cylinder or leakage.

Medical officials said six bodies and 11 injured people were brought to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), while two other bodies and one injured person were taken to the Capital Hospital.

PIMS spokesperson Dr Aneeza Jalil said an emergency was imposed at the hospital on the directives of Executive Director Dr Rana Imran Sikander immediately after the incident.

She said one of the injured had been shifted to the burns centre with 20 per cent burn injuries.

Islamabad Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Sahibzada Yusuf visited the site on the directives of Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon.

Speaking to the media, he said at least four houses had been damaged in the explosion and confirmed that the deceased included the bride and groom. He added that rescue operations were carried out using "advanced technology" and that further checks were underway using specialised equipment.

ADC Yusuf said an inquiry had been ordered to ascertain the cause of the blast, though preliminary assessment suggested it was a gas cylinder explosion.

Islamabad Chief Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa also told reporters that the explosion appeared to be the result of a gas leak.

"So far, we have concluded that this explosion occurred due to a gas leakage," he said, adding that an independent probe would still be conducted on the instructions of the Prime Minister's Office to determine the precise reasons behind the incident.

Randhawa said one of the houses had been completely destroyed and that arrangements had been made to bring the bodies to a ground near the site before burial. On compensation, he said, "It's not possible that there would be any delay in compensating them. However, the verification process may take four to five days".

Grief-stricken relatives gathered at the site and hospitals as details emerged. Hanif Masih, the father of the deceased groom, said his son's wedding had taken place on Saturday and the family had returned home the night before.

"At the time of the incident (explosion), I was present at home but sleeping in a separate room adjacent to the house. I woke up after hearing a loud explosion and rushed to the place of the incident, but by that time everything had already been destroyed," he said.

He added that apart from his son and daughter-in-law, his sister-in-law was also among the deceased, while his daughter and other family members were hospitalised. Overcome with grief, he declined to speak further.

The tragedy drew reactions from the country's top leadership. In a statement, Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani expressed deep sorrow over the incident that occurred "during a wedding", calling it "a heart-wrenching incident that turned celebrations into mourning for a family".

He voiced concern over gas cylinder explosions and stressed that "such incidents demand that relevant departments fulfil their responsibilities seriously and ensure safety measures", calling for compliance with laws and greater public awareness regarding cylinder safety.

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep sorrow and concern over the explosion, terming it tragic and extremely distressing.

In a statement issued by the President Secretariat Media Wing, he extended condolences to the families of the victims, prayed for the injured and said the entire nation stood in solidarity with the bereaved families.

He directed authorities to strictly enforce safety regulations related to the manufacture, quality and use of gas cylinders and instructed provincial governments and the Islamabad administration to launch public awareness campaigns on safe cylinder usage.

"Saving precious human lives is the foremost responsibility of the state and effective measures are essential to prevent such incidents," the president stressed.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed grief over the loss of lives, prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured and conveyed condolences to the bereaved families.

He directed the federal minister for health, the secretary of health and the PIMS administration to remain on high alert and ensure the injured received quality medical care until full recovery.

He also instructed the interior secretary to carry out a thorough investigation and submit a detailed report to identify the causes of the incident and fix responsibility.