A newly-married couple was killed when a gas cylinder exploded at a house in Islamabad where they were sleeping after their wedding party, police have said. A further six people – including wedding guests and family members – who were staying there also died in the blast. More than a dozen people were injured. The explosion took place at 07:00 local time on Sunday (02:00 GMT), causing the roof to collapse.
Parts of the walls were blown away, leaving piles of bricks, large concrete slabs, and furniture strewn across the floor. Injured people were trapped under the rubble and had to be carried out on stretchers by rescue workers.
Emergency workers stated that the blast was caused by a gas leak, which filled the room and then exploded. Three neighboring houses were also damaged. The chairman of Pakistan's Senate, Yusuf Raza Gilani, called it a heart-wrenching incident that turned celebrations into mourning.
Hanif Masih, the father of the groom, said his son had been married the previous day, and the newlywed couple, along with family members and guests, were sleeping in the house at the time of the explosion. Masih lamented that everyone had gone to bed around 03:00 local time and woke up to devastation.
Authorities have cordoned off the area and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the blast. Forensic officers were deployed to comb through the debris, while Deputy Police Commissioner Sahibzada Yousaf told local media that sniffer dogs and advanced technology were used to ensure everyone was rescued from the rubble.
The widespread use of liquefied petroleum gas cylinders in Pakistani households has been linked to other deadly accidents caused by gas leaks. Gilani emphasized the need for stricter regulations on the unsafe usage of these gas cylinders, stating, Such incidents demand that relevant departments fulfill their responsibilities seriously and ensure safety measures.\
Parts of the walls were blown away, leaving piles of bricks, large concrete slabs, and furniture strewn across the floor. Injured people were trapped under the rubble and had to be carried out on stretchers by rescue workers.
Emergency workers stated that the blast was caused by a gas leak, which filled the room and then exploded. Three neighboring houses were also damaged. The chairman of Pakistan's Senate, Yusuf Raza Gilani, called it a heart-wrenching incident that turned celebrations into mourning.
Hanif Masih, the father of the groom, said his son had been married the previous day, and the newlywed couple, along with family members and guests, were sleeping in the house at the time of the explosion. Masih lamented that everyone had gone to bed around 03:00 local time and woke up to devastation.
Authorities have cordoned off the area and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the blast. Forensic officers were deployed to comb through the debris, while Deputy Police Commissioner Sahibzada Yousaf told local media that sniffer dogs and advanced technology were used to ensure everyone was rescued from the rubble.
The widespread use of liquefied petroleum gas cylinders in Pakistani households has been linked to other deadly accidents caused by gas leaks. Gilani emphasized the need for stricter regulations on the unsafe usage of these gas cylinders, stating, Such incidents demand that relevant departments fulfill their responsibilities seriously and ensure safety measures.\
