Tragedy struck Karachi’s Gul Rana Colony in Soldier Bazaar when a gas cylinder explosion demolished a house, pushing the fatality count to 16 as of latest reports. The early morning incident at 4:15 AM, coinciding with suhoor, buried residents under tons of concrete, prompting a massive response from emergency services.
Eastern District Police attributed the blast to a cylinder leak on the ground floor, which triggered a chain reaction collapsing the illegally built multi-room edifice. Media outlets report six women and four children among the deceased, alongside 14 survivors receiving critical care. Trauma centers overflowed, with 13 bodies arriving at Civil Hospital under Dr. Mohammad Sabir Memon’s oversight.
Sindh Rescue 1122 deploys urban search teams and response vehicles, battling confined spaces and unstable wreckage. COO Dr. Abid highlighted the building’s shoddy construction—ad hoc room additions lacking safety standards—which exacerbated the collapse and impacted neighboring properties.
With the area locked down by police amid swelling crowds, operations continue around the clock. This densely populated zone’s layout intensified logistical nightmares for rescuers.
The event exposes deep flaws in urban planning and gas appliance oversight in Pakistan. While searches persist, the focus shifts to supporting affected families and enforcing stricter codes to prevent repeats of this heartbreaking loss.