According to reports, the blast occured in a bus near the busy Cantt Station gate. The surrounding buildings were damaged while a hotel caught fire due to the severity of the blast. A taxi passing by, the number of which is 3330, was also badly damaged in the incident.

The injured, said to be passengers of the bus, are critically wounded and have been shifted to the nearby Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center (JPMC).

The area is speckled with hawkers, some of which caught fire when the explosion occured. Black smoke was seen rising through the area.

Police and Rangers have cordonned off the area. Ambulances have reached the area and officials have started gathering body parts scattered across the area for further investigation.

It may be mentioned that the bus, which belonged to the Butt Brothers coach service, was ready to leave for its destination of Sargodha.

The nature of the blast has not been ascertained, but details suggest that the blast occured when two CNG cylinders exploded one after another.

According to MLO Seemi Jamali, around 40 injured have been brought to the hospital, and added, some are out of danger, while others are still in critical condition.

The media reported that when the body parts were brought to the hospital the mortuary was locked with no authority or official in sight who could order it to be opened so that the body parts could be kep in the facility.

Casualties are expected to rise. 

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2012