At least six people were killed and 38 others injured when a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker exploded late last night in Punjab’s Multan, police said on Monday.
Fires caused by leaking and exploding LPG cylinders are a regular occurrence across the country, with an explosion in Sindh’s Hyderabad last year killing 50 people.
Multan Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Ali Bukhari said that the explosion was caused by a fire in a tanker full of gas, adding that efforts to control the fire were on.
He said that 16 fire fighting vehicles were present at the accident site and more have been called. He further said that Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and other institutions have also been called for the ongoing operation.
DC Bukhari added that the area has been sealed while gas and electricity supply has also been cut off.
According to Rescue 1122 spokesperson Arshad Bhatta, the injured include women and children who have been shifted to Nishtar Hospital.
Bhatta said that several houses collapsed due to the blast, adding that around 20 cattle also lost their lives.
DC Bukhari constituted a high-level inquiry committee to investigate the incident and asked for a detailed report within 48 hours.
Commissioner Multan Amir Karim Khan ordered that a list of LPG containers be prepared in the division and a ban be imposed on LPG containers standing in Gunjanabad area.
He further said that illegal filling shops of LPG and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) should be raided and those operating without proper security measures should be sealed.
Earlier in Ghotki district of Sindh, a person was burnt to death after a house caught fire due to an exploding LPG cylinder.
In May last year, at least 50 people, mostly children, sustained burn injuries in a massive explosion at an LPG cylinder filling shop in Hyderabad. Within two weeks, similar incidents took place in Bhatshah and Larkana as a result of which action was taken against LPG filling shops.
President, Prime Minister expressed regret
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif have expressed grief over the deaths and injuries in the LPG blast in Multan, official media said. Radio Pakistan Reported.
The president condoled with the bereaved families and prayed for the soul of the deceased.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his best wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured, Muslim League (N). wrote On X, he directed the authorities to find out the reasons behind the explosion and prevent such incidents in future.
