6 killed, 31 injured in a gas tanker explosion in Multan, Hamid Pur Kanora Industrial Estate, on Monday.
According to rescue officials the blast, which involved an LPG tanker, caused a massive fire, with debris from the wreckage scattering into nearby residential areas.
The deceased include a young girl and two women, officials stated. Among the injured, 13 individuals are reported to be in critical condition.
Rescue teams worked for several hours, using over ten firefighting vehicles and foam-based extinguishing agents to put off the fire.
Multan’s City Police Officer (CPO), Sadiq Ali said in a media briefing that the blast destroyed multiple nearby house. He stated that the explosion was triggered by a gas leak from one of the tanker’s valves. Some residents in the vicinity had evacuated after detecting the gas leak before the explosion occurred.
The CPO further mentioned they have evacuated the nearby areas as the gas leakage from the tanker continues.
The District Multan Emergency Officer stated that search operations are being conducted in nearby neighborhoods to ensure safety. As a precaution, electricity and gas supplies in the area have been cut off.
As the investigation started, police found that the explosion occurred at an illegal LPG refilling facility during transfer operations. The LPG was being moved from a large tanker to smaller bowsers and commercial cylinders. Investigators revealed that the tanker was allegedly carrying smuggled LPG. The explosion destroyed five small and large gas bowsers located at the site.
The rescue and recovery efforts are ongoing on the effected site with the officials working to find out the root causes of this explosion and detaining the concerned individuals.
