A truck carrying liquified petroleum gas caught fire and exploded overnight near an industrial area in central Pakistan, killing six people and injuring more than two dozen others, officials said on Monday, APA reports citing Pakistani media.
The explosion in Multan, a city in the eastern Punjab province, substantially damaged nearby shops and homes, and the deaths were caused by the fire and the collapse of roofs of houses, rescue official Mohammad Bilal said.
He said firefighters had extinguished the blaze and officers are investigating to determine exactly what the gas leak in the truck and the subsequent explosion.
At least 31 others were injured in the LPG tanker truck blast, Geo News reported. A total of five people were initially thought to have been killed. However, the death toll rose to six after rescue officials recovered another body, the report said.
A minor girl and two women were among the dead, Geo News said.
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10:16
Five people were killed and 31 others injured when fire engulfed a resident colony in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province in the early hours of Monday, officials said, APA reports citing Xinhua.
The incident happened at about 12:25 a.m. local time (GMT 1925 Sunday) in the Multan district where a massive explosion caused by a liquefied petroleum gas container leakage rocked the colony, sources from the district's police told Xinhua.
The gas leakage triggered the fire, and the force of the blast scattered debris over a wide area, severely impacting the densely populated colony.
The police confirmed that the blaze has been brought under control, following extensive firefighting efforts. The injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals, and several of them are in critical condition.
Officials are conducting an assessment of the total damage caused by the explosion, which also disrupted daily life in the vicinity.
Incidents involving gas explosions remain a concern in Pakistan due to inadequate safety measures and poor infrastructure, often leading to tragic consequences.
