Karachi, Feb 19 At least six people were killed after a gas explosion triggered a partial building collapse in Pakistan's Karachi, local media reported, quoting officials on Thursday.
The blast took place at a house in Gul Rana Colony of the Soldier Bazar area, where a suspected gas leak is believed to have caused the explosion.
Following the incident, emergency teams rushed to the spot and began rescue operations. So far, 11 people have been pulled out from the debris and shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. Authorities said the rescue work continued for several hours as teams searched through the rubble for any remaining trapped residents.
The blast occurred on the first floor on Wednesday night, causing part of the building to collapse, rescue sources on the ground said and added that all the available resources were being used in the search operation, according to a leading media outlet, Geo News.
The injured were shifted to the Civil Hospital, where they were given medical assistance.
The incident has once again highlighted concerns over gas safety and poor infrastructure in several residential areas, the leading daily Dawn reported.
Deputy Commissioner East Nasrullah Abbasi said there were fears that two more individuals could still be trapped under the debris.
He added that the building was severely damaged in the cylinder explosion, leading to its collapse.
Authorities said rescue efforts were continuing despite access challenges due to the congested locality.
Earlier on January 17, a massive fire broke out at a shopping mall in Karachi, claiming the lives of at least 80 people, and several remained missing.
The fire broke out at the Gul Plaza shopping centre on Muhammad Ali Jinnah Road, spreading rapidly through the multistory commercial building, claiming several lives and injuring many, causing extensive damage.
--IANS
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