KARACHI: At least 16 people were killed including women and children and 14 others injured in a gas compressor explosion, causing the partial collapse of a residential building in the Soldier Bazaar area of Karachi early Thursday morning.
The explosion occurred at the time of Sehri of the 1st Ramazan, when residents were preparing food. The blast was so powerful that it shook nearby buildings.
Eight children, including a two-year-old, four women and four men were among those who died, according to police sources.
The injured and the deceased were shifted to Civil Hospital. Emergency workers managed to rescue more than a dozen injured residents from the rubble, though authorities warned that others could still be trapped.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation. Speaking to the media, Rescue 1122 Chief Operating Officer Dr Abid Jalaluddin Shaikh also confirmed that a gas explosion was the cause of the structure’s partial collapse.
He noted that the ground plus two-floor structure had small rooms, and the limited space made the rescue operation challenging.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026