Disasters & Accidents

8 die after explosion, building collapse in Pakistan

Islamabad, Dec 18 (EFE).- At least eight people died and 10 were injured on Saturday when a building collapsed following an explosion caused by a gas leak in a drain in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi.

The blast occurred at 1:40 pm local time, leading to the collapse of a bank building in the Shershah area, a police officer from Karachi Javed Hussain told Efe.

“As a result, eight people were killed and 10 are injured and few people are feared to be trapped in the debris,” Hussain said.

Two security guards of the bank, which was open for business, were among the fatalities as well as some of its clients, the source added.

“A gas pipeline which is crossing through the nullah (drain) exploded because of gas accumulation,” he said.

Building collapses are relatively frequent in Pakistan; most are due to the poor condition of buildings, explosions of gas cylinders and installations, and the effects of heavy rains.

In October 2020, at least four people were killed and 23 others injured in an explosion at a five-story residential building in Karachi, Pakistan’s most populous city.

In March 2020, at least 24 people died when another building collapsed in the same city, where the authorities have described 150 residential and office buildings as dangerous. EFE

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