12 killed, many injured in blast in Pakistan’s Karachi: Report
The police said the explosion occurred in a gas pipeline running through the drain, over which a building of a private bank was constructed.
At least 12 people were reportedly killed and scores injured in a blast in Karachi city of Pakistan on Saturday, according to local media. The reports suggest that the explosion occurred in a drain beneath a private bank near Paracha Chowk in Karachi’s Shershah area.
Station house officer Zafar Ali Shah said the bank had been served a notice to vacate the building so the drain could be cleaned up, adding that the accumulation of gases in the drain is suspected as the cause of the blast, reported Dawn. According to Geo TV, the police said the explosion occurred in a gas pipeline running through the drain.
The footage of the blast shared on social media platforms shows a damaged building and debris lying at the site of the explosion.
Police spokesperson Sohail Jokhio said it was not immediately clear what ignited the gas and a team of explosives experts was summoned to investigate, reported Associated Press.
The spokesperson added that the powerful explosion shattered the windows of nearby buildings and badly damaged a parked vehicle.
A second blast also took place during the rescue operation when a few electric wires collided with the gas line, according to Geo News, but no loss of life was reported in the second incident.
