Gas leak: Mother, three daughters sustain burns in house fire

SWAT:

A mother and her three daughters were severely injured in an explosion caused by a gas leak in Saidu Sharif on Wednesday.

Saidu police in charge Ahmad Shah said they rushed to the site after being informed about the incident at 6:30am in Shagai. On his arrival, homeowner Hameedullah told Shah the explosion occurred when his wife Zaibunnisa was preparing breakfast for her daughters before they left for school.

“She lit a match and there was a huge blast,” he Hameedullah. The kitchen windows and door were smashed and later caught fire. Nisa and the daughters identified as 12-year-old Jaweria, six-year-old Maria, and four-year-old Muniba were injured.

Neighbours rushed to the scene and took them to the Saidu Teaching Hospital (STH).

The hospital casualty in charge Dr Mian Gul Aleem said the three girls were stable while their mother sustained severe burns. After being administered first aid, all four patients were taken to a burn unit in Peshawar as Swat lacks such facilities.

Initial investigation revealed the gas pipeline in the victims’ house was leaking.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 5^th, 2013.