Four killed, six injured in Karachi CNG station explosion

KARACHI: Four people were killed, while six others, including a woman, were wounded in a powerful explosion at a fuel station in Karachi’s North Nazimabad locality on Friday night.

The explosion took place at a fuel station (Byco) near the Abdullah College in North Nazimabad. Police, quoting the initial investigations, ruled out the possibility of terrorist activity, suspecting the explosion occurred accidently at the fuel pump’s electric room.

A heavy contingent of police and Rangers cordoned off the area. “Initially, it seems that the explosion occurred due to a spark at an electric room,” Zone West Police chief DIG Nasir Aftab told the media after inspecting the blast site.

He said police officers have also obtained the CCTV footage from the fuel station to ascertain the actual nature of the explosion. The blast was heard miles away. Ambulances transported the casualties to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. Scores of family members and relatives gathered at the hospital to identify their loved ones. Edhi and the hospital officials confirmed that four people were killed, while six others were wounded. The deceased were yet to be identified. The injured included 45-year-old Aliya, wife of Humayun, Abdul Waheed, 30, Mumtaz Ali, Sohail, 35, Ishaq, Huraira, 21, Waqar, Abid, 30, Kher Muhammad and Waqar, 24, son of Siddiq. Experts from the bomb disposal squad and crime scene were examining the explosion site. “As the explosion occurred apparently due to short circuit at the electric room, it impacted the glass door of the electric room and the pieces of glass hit the people,” Counter-Terrorism Department in-charge Mazhar Mashwani explained. Abid Farooq, BDS in-charge, ruled out the possibility of a bomb blast, saying there was no evidence of ball bearings found at the scene. No case has been registered, however further investigation was underway.