People gather at the remains of the Badabher police station which was completely destroyed when a huge cache of explosives stored in the building went off due to a short circuit. PHOTO: IQBAL MAMOND/EXPRESS
Badabher police station was completely destroyed when hundreds of kilogrammes of explosives stored inside the building caught fire and exploded on Saturday morning.
The cause of the fire was a short circuit in the bathroom where the explosives were kept, said police officials. Policemen, however, were able to evacuate and there were no casualties in the powerful explosion.
“We were inside the police station when we saw black smoke coming out of three bathrooms,” said police constable Ijaz Khan. “All staff members were asked to evacuate and as soon we came out of the building, a loud explosion occurred.”
Earlier some officers had suggested putting out the fire, but SHO Investigation Bahadar Khan rejected the idea and ordered them to evacuate the building, added Ijaz.
Another official of the police station said at least 250 kilogrammes of explosives, seven MB-12 type rockets and three mortar shells were stored in the small bathroom. “These were explosives defused and confiscated by police officers between 2011 and 2013,” he added.
Four nearby houses were also damaged in the explosion along with a police mobile and eight other vehicles. Luckily, detainees held in the lock-up remained unhurt.
In November 2009, Badabher police’s original British-era building was destroyed in a suicide car bomb attack. Since then, police had been working in a rented building.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 14th, 2013.
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