Multiple fatalities after blast in Habib Bank Branch in Karachi caused by gas leak

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At least 11 people were killed and 13 others injured in a blast near Paracha Chowk in Karachi's Shershah area on Saturday, according to a statement issued by the Karachi police spokesperson.

SHO Zafar Ali Shah said the explosion took place in a nullah (drain) located underneath a private bank, which had been served a notice to vacate the premises so the nullah could be cleaned up.

The bank's building, as well as a nearby petrol pump, was damaged in the explosion, Shah said.

The police spokesperson said that a bomb disposal squad was called to examine the site of the explosion, adding that the cause can be determined with certainty once the squad submits its report.

The report, released later in the day, concluded that the blast occurred due to gas leakage and the accumulation of gases in the nullah underneath the building.

The police spokesperson also said no evidence of terrorism had been found at the site of the blast yet.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MNA Alamgir Khan's father, Dilawar Khan, had also died in the blast.

"We share the grief of Alamgir Khan and other bereaved families," he tweeted, praying for the deceased.

Earlier, officials reached the site of the explosion and cordoned off the area, Sindh Rangers said in a statement.

Footage of the blast showed a damaged building and debris lying on the ground. Damaged vehicles could also be seen at the site of the explosion.

People could be seen trying to remove the rubble. There were reports of people being trapped under the debris.

'Construction of buildings on nullahs illegal'
Later, Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani said while speaking to the media that according to the details he had received so far, the bank's building was constructed and given on rent by the SITE Association of Industry.

"I am unable to understand that how can an institution construct a building on a nullah and rent it out," the minister said.

Replying to a question, Ghani added that "apparently, and I am not saying this with finality, the SITE Association is responsible for the incident as it constructed the affected building [on a drain] and gave it on rent."

The minister said principally, the construction of any structure on a nullah was not legal.

Saying that all structures constructed on drains in the city should be removed, he added that however, those affected and displaced as a result of the move must also be given compensation.

"It's not as much their fault as of those who allotted the land to them in the first place," Ghani explained. He said that institutions, departments, authorities and officials who allotted land to people on nullahs must be identified so that action could be taken against them.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1664504/at-least-11-killed-13-injured-in-blast-in-karachis-shershah-area

 

[MenInG]

KARACHI, Pakistan, Dec 18 (Reuters) - At least 15 people were killed and 16 others injured in an explosion on Saturday at a bank branch in Karachi's industrial area, police said.

A senior police officer said the blast at a branch of Habib Bank Limited, Pakistan's largest lender, could have been caused by a gas leak, Sarfaraz Nawaz also told reporters that the building appeared to have been constructed over a sewage drain.

"Our explosives teams are at work trying to ascertain the nature of the blast, but apparently the structure was constructed on a drain and gas could be a probable cause," he said.

In statement on Twitter, Habib Bank said an explosion had damaged its branch and caused casualties and injuries.

"Our sympathies are with the bereaved families," it added.

A petrol station located next to the bank within the Sindh Industrial Trading Estate and cars parked nearby were badly damaged. Television footage showed the bank's floor ripped apart, exposing twisted iron bars.

"So far 15 people have died and 16 were brought injured to hospital," Karachi's administrator Murtaza Wahab said in a tweet.

Another senior police officer, Sharjeel Kharal, told reporters it was not immediately clear how many were dead or injured in the explosion as the bank had a skeleton staff on Saturday.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-...ucted-sewage-drain-kills-least-10-2021-12-18/

 

[street cricketer]

RIP to the victims.

 

[JaDed]

RIP..criminal if it was a gas leak!

 

[MenInG]

"I am unable to understand that how can an institution construct a building on a nullah and rent it out," the minister said.

Criminal for the building authorities and also for the Bank themselves

If this was any other countries the survivors/next of kin would launch a class action asap

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">My heartfelt prayers & condolences go to all the families of victims of the twin blasts at Sher Shah Paracha Chowk, Karachi. I am especially saddened to hear of the loss of our MNA Alamgir Khan’s father who also perished in the blast. May Allah give him strength to bear this loss</p>— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1472213715743293442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[gazza619]

This is so so sad

 

[MenInG]

At least 15 people were killed and 16 others were injured in a blast near Paracha Chowk in Karachi's Shershah area on Saturday, officials said.

SHO Zafar Ali Shah said the explosion took place in a nullah (drain) located underneath a private bank, which had been served a notice to vacate the premises so the nullah could be cleaned up.

The bank's building, as well as a nearby petrol pump, was damaged in the explosion, Shah said.

Meanwhile, Dr Sabir Memon, head of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Trauma Centre at Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK), told Dawn.com that the death toll from the blast had risen to 15. He said 16 others injured in the incident were brought to the hospital and eight of them had been discharged after first medical aid.

The doctor attributed the majority of the casualties to injuries caused by fallen debris and said none of the bodies smelled of any explosives or chemicals.

According to Dr Qarar Ahmed Abbasi, additional police surgeon at CHK, 13 of the blast victims were brought dead to the hospital and two others died during treatment.

Earlier, the Karachi police spokesperson said in a statement that a bomb disposal squad was called to examine the site of the explosion, adding that the cause can be determined with certainty once the squad submits its report.

The report, released later in the day, concluded that the blast occurred due to gas leakage and the accumulation of gases in the nullah underneath the building.

The police spokesperson also said no evidence of terrorism had been found at the site of the blast yet.

Earlier, officials reached the site of the explosion and cordoned off the area, Sindh Rangers said in a statement.

Footage of the blast showed a damaged building and debris lying on the ground. Damaged vehicles could also be seen at the site of the explosion.

People could be seen trying to remove the rubble. There were reports of people being trapped under the debris.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill said Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MNA Alamgir Khan's father, Dilawar Khan, had also died in the blast.

"We share the grief of Alamgir Khan and other bereaved families," he tweeted, praying for the deceased.

Later in the day, in a message on Twitter, Prime Minister Imran Khan condoled with the families of the victims. He said he was "especially saddened to hear of the loss of our MNA Alamgir Khan’s father who also perished in the blast".

'Construction of buildings on nullahs illegal'
Later, Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani said while speaking to the media that according to the details he had received so far, the bank's building was constructed and given on rent by the SITE Association of Industry.

"I am unable to understand that how can an institution construct a building on a nullah and rent it out," the minister said.

Replying to a question, Ghani added that "apparently, and I am not saying this with finality, the SITE Association is responsible for the incident as it constructed the affected building [on a drain] and gave it on rent."

The minister said principally, the construction of any structure on a nullah was not legal.

Saying that all structures constructed on drains in the city should be removed, he added that however, those affected and displaced as a result of the move must also be given compensation.

"It's not as much their fault as of those who allotted the land to them in the first place," Ghani explained. He said that institutions, departments, authorities and officials who allotted land to people on nullahs must be identified so that action could be taken against them.

Later, the Sindh home department also said while speaking to the media that all structures built on nullahs were illegal.

He said he had issued directives for a transparent investigation of the incident, adding that soon a "grand operation" would be launched against encroachments.

DAWN

 

[MenInG]

KARACHI: Saturday’s blast in a Shershah building that killed over a dozen people and left many injured has emerged as a grim reminder of unchecked encroachment on government and municipal facilities for commercial purposes, unplanned expansion of concrete structures in Karachi and illegal use of government land and facilities continuing unabated for the past many years.

Two separate inquiries have been instituted by authorities as the chief minister of Sindh has asked the Karachi commissioner to investigate the incident while the provincial industries minister has asked the managing director (MD) of the Sindh Industrial Trading Estate (SITE) to find out the exact cause of the deadly explosion.

The orders from the provincial authorities came after initial reports from the bomb disposal unit of the Sindh police found leakage of sewer gas — complex mixture of toxic and non-toxic gases produced and collected in sewage systems — as the apparent cause of the blast and found no evidence or traces of any sabotage, terrorism and explosives.

The Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL), after examining the site, has also ruled out the natural gas leak possibility from its supply system, saying that there was no damage to its installation in and around the site.

Now investigators, rescue operators and municipal authorities strongly believe that the explosion is caused by the sewer gas accumulated in the sewage drain, nullah, over which a two-storey structure was raised.

The theory is further strengthened as the official inquiries are apparently aimed at finding the cause of the explosion while keeping in view the illegalities involved in the incident.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the blast site, Sindh Minister for Industries and Commerce and Cooperative Department Ikramullah Dharejo announced setting up a committee headed by the MD-SITE to find out the cause of the blast.

“It will be premature to reach any conclusion,” he said. “There is a sewerage nullah here and there are several buildings along or over this structure. This particular building was built in 1964. The structure was raised more than 50 years ago on a drain. The MD-SITE has also been directed to submit a report on the accident. It is not appropriate to say anything right now. All aspects would be investigated for accurate conclusion.”

Complicated situation

The situation turned further complicated as key officials of the concerned district office expressed their lack of knowledge regarding any legal or illegal status of the affected building.

Mukhtiar Ali Abro, deputy commissioner-Keamari, was also not sure whether the building had been marked as an encroached structure during a recent survey for an anti-encroachment operation.

As the final report of a thorough and transparent inquiry may explain the unanswered questions about the building’s status, its owners and exact reason leading to the huge explosion in the sewer, the authorities also keep the police investigators in the loop to look into every possible aspect of the incident.

CM expresses grief over loss of lives

Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah while taking notice of the Shershah blast ordered the Karachi Commissioner to hold a detailed inquiry into the incident.

“The police officers should also be made part of the inquiry as every angle of the incident could be covered,” said a statement issued by CM House.

“CM Murad also expressed his deep grief over the loss of lives in the blast. He has directed the secretary of health for the provision of all necessary facilities immediately at the Civil Hospital Karachi. He has also directed the administration to reach the spot to provide all possible assistance to the victims.”

No legal cover for illegal structures

On the other hand, Sindh government spokesman and Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab made it clear that the government’s proposed law for regularisation of buildings would not give any ‘legal cover’ to buildings like the one in Shershah, which were raised over drains.

“The Sindh Commission for Regularisation of Construction Ordinance is not supposed to support illegal structures,” he said while replying to a query during his interaction with the media at the Civil Hospital, where he came to see the blast victims.

“Every such building which is illegal and poses serious threat to lives of people would face the legal action. This law would not legalise ‘China-Cutting’ carried out in the past and encroachments and use of amenity plots for commercial uses.”

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2021

 

[PakLFC]

Tragedy! It should have been avoided.

 

[saeedhk]

Fix IT founder and PTI MNA Alamgir’s father is among the deceased .

 

[MenInG]

As the death toll increased to 17, a case of blast at a bank branch in Sher Shah was registered at SITE-B police station on the complaint of SHO Inspector Zawar Hussain. As per the sections of the FIR, the suspects face charges of doing an act with the knowledge that they were likely to hurt people by their actions.

If convicted, the accused can get sentenced to 10 to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment. Inspector Hussain in his statement for filing an FIR said that on December 18, 2021, he was on patrol in the area when at about 1345 hours Head Constable Iqbal, deputed on police mobile B-II, informed him about the blast.

Constable Iqbal reported that an explosion had taken place at Habib Bank Limited Sher Shah Branch adjacent to PSO filling station Sher Shah Chowk, State Avenue Road, SITE in which several people have been killed and injured.

"As soon as I got the information, I reached the aforementioned place at around 1350 hours where a lot of people had converged while the walls of the said bank had collapsed and the bank had turned into a pile of rubble. The ground floor was destroyed and the office at the back of the bank had collapsed and the bank and office debris had fallen into a sewer running under the building.

The bank staff and those in the back office were buried in the rubble and fell into a sewer," the statement read. The SHO said that in view of the incident, he immediately called rescue agencies, bomb disposal squad and crime scene unit. As many as 15 bodies and 11 injured were shifted to Dr. Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi. Two more bodies were later recovered. The death toll rose to 17. A team of bomb disposal unit under the supervision of in-charge Inspector Muhammad Amir reached the spot to find out the cause of the blast. It inspected the site and submitted its report to the SHO PS SITE-B.

The cause of the explosion was mentioned to be absence of a gas exit in a sewerage drain under the bank and office building. According to the report and the situation, the building of the bank and the office of the said site have been illegally constructed on the land of the sewerage drain and there was no outlet for discharge of gas from the drain.

The said building was constructed by encroaching upon the land of the sewerage drain. "The persons responsible for the construction and the aforesaid building owner have committed an offense under sections 322/337- H(I)/427/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code, therefore, a case was registered against the owner of the building and handed over to the investigating authorities," said the contents of the FIR.

The suspects face charges of doing an act with the intention of thereby causing hurt to any person, or with the knowledge that they were likely to hurt people by their actions. If convicted, the accused can get 10 to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2334732/fir-of-sher-shah-blast-registered

 

[MenInG]

Three people were injured on Friday in a blast in a sewerage line in Mehmoodabad, according to police.

A statement from Mehmoodabad Station House Officer Aijaz Pathan said the blast occurred in a sewerage line at Parsi Gate due to the accumulation of gas. A motorcycle mechanic shop that was situated on the sewerage line also collapsed, according to the statement.

It added that three people sustained minor injuries and were shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for treatment. A bomb disposal team was also summoned to the spot and an investigation was underway.

A statement from the Edhi Foundation identified the three injured as Bilal, 17, Dilawar, 20, and John, 11. The three were taken to the hospital in an ambulance of the rescue service.

This is the second blast to be reported in the city this month.

On December 18, an explosion occurred in a nullah (drain) located underneath a private bank near Paracha Chowk in Shershah, claiming the lives of 17 persons. The bank had earlier been served a notice to vacate the premises so the nullah could be cleaned up.

Site-B police registered a first information report of the incident against the "persons responsible for the construction of the building and its owner" under various charges including manslaughter, said an area police officer.

Earlier on October 29, four people were killed and nine others injured in an explosion in a North Nazimabad petrol pump. Police later said that a short circuit inside a closed electric room of a fuel station with no vents coupled with the accumulation of gases had appeared to be the cause of the big explosion

https://www.dawn.com/news/1665551/3-injured-in-explosion-in-sewerage-line-at-karachis-mehmoodabad

 

[sweep_shot]

Sad to hear this.

Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun.

 

[MenInG]

An explosion has occurred in the Sher Shah area of the city, near Paracha Chowk, police told Geo News.

The blast occurred in a sewerage drain.

Rescue teams as well as law enforcement were quickly dispatched to the area.

The explosion took place at roughly the same time in the evening, just before 5pm, as one that took place a day earlier. Yesterday's explosion also occurred in the same area.

The blast comes on a day when a large volume of people visit the area, as many vendors on carts line up to sell second-hand goods, akin to those found in Sunday bazaars.

According to Geo News, witnesses reported people getting injured. Rescue officials on site, meanwhile, said they had not come across any injured people, but had been informed by people in the area that one or two people were wounded and rushed to the hospital.

GEO