Bride, groom among 8 killed in Islamabad wedding blast; 12 injured

Islamabad [Pakistan], January 11 : At least eight people were killed and 12 others injured after an explosion struck a house in Islamabad's Sector G-7/2 during wedding celebrations on Sunday. Officials confirmed that the bride and groom were among the deceased, Dawn reported.

Officials said multiple guests were present at the venue when the blast occurred.

Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences spokesperson Aneeza Jalil said six bodies and 11 injured people were brought to the hospital, where the injured were receiving treatment. She told Dawn that an emergency was imposed at Pims following the incident on the directives of Executive Director Rana Imran Sikander.

Jalil also said one injured person was being treated at the hospital's burns centre after sustaining 20 per cent burn injuries.

Following the explosion, Islamabad Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Sahibzada Yusuf reached the site on the directives of Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon.

Yusuf told media persons that at least four houses were damaged in the blast and confirmed that the deceased included the bride and groom, Dawn reported.

Yusuf further stated that besides the bodies and injured taken to Pims, two other bodies and one injured person were shifted to the Capital Hospital.

He said the explosion took place at a wedding venue where guests were also present, adding that all those trapped had been rescued from the rubble using "advanced technology".

According to Dawn, Yusuf said rescue teams were continuing checks using specialised equipment and that an inquiry had been ordered to determine the cause of the blast, though the incident appeared to be linked to a cylinder explosion.

Islamabad Chief Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa also told the media that the explosion seemed to have resulted from a gas leak.

He said one of the houses had been demolished in the incident, and arrangements had been made to bring the bodies to a ground near the site before shifting them to a graveyard, Dawn reported.

Hanif Masih, the father of the deceased groom, told the media that the wedding was held on Saturday and the family returned home late at night.

"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.

Masih said his son, daughter-in-law and sister-in-law were among those killed, while his daughter and other family members were admitted to the hospital. He declined to speak further, saying he was overwhelmed with grief.

A statement issued by the Senate Secretariat said Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani expressed grief over the incident that took place "during a wedding" and extended condolences to the bereaved families, Dawn reported.

"This is a heart-wrenching incident that turned celebrations into mourning for a family," the statement quoted him as saying, adding that he raised concern over gas cylinder explosions.

"Such incidents demand that relevant departments fulfil their responsibilities seriously and ensure safety measures," he said, stressing the need for an effective strategy to curb the "unsafe use of gas cylinders".

He also called for compliance with laws and greater public awareness of safety measures.

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