A devastating gas cylinder explosion has claimed at least 13 lives, including seven children, after a residential building collapsed in Karachi, Pakistan, in what authorities describe as a heartbreaking urban disaster.
SUNTV Global Channel gathered that the explosion occurred Thursday on the first floor of a multi-storey building located in the densely populated Soldier Bazaar area of the city.
Police official Summaiya Syed confirmed that several of the victims were minors, including a two-year-old child, highlighting the scale of the tragedy.
According to reports from Reuters, the powerful blast triggered a structural collapse, trapping residents beneath heavy debris. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, rescuing more than a dozen injured people while warning that others might still be buried under the rubble.
Eyewitnesses said local residents joined rescue teams, desperately clearing concrete and searching for survivors as ambulances transported casualties to nearby hospitals.
Medical facilities across the area reported receiving multiple injured victims, with doctors working intensively to stabilize those in critical condition.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the explosion. Officials have also issued urgent safety warnings to residents about the proper handling of gas cylinders and household appliances.
This latest disaster comes just weeks after a deadly shopping mall fire in Karachi earlier this year that killed more than 70 people, underscoring ongoing safety concerns in the city’s densely populated districts.
SUNTV Global Channel will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as rescue efforts and investigations progress.
