At least three dead as building collapses in Karachi's Machar Colony

• Adjacent building is partially affected, vehicle damaged.
  
• Police say rescue operation launched at the site.
• Sources say number of injured is feared to climb. 

KARACHI: At least three people were killed and 17 others wounded on Monday as a two-storey building collapsed due to a gas cylinder blast in Machar Colony on Mauripur Road in Karachi.

The blast took place in a gas cylinder shop in the building. One adjacent building was partially affected and a nearby vehicle was damaged.

Police said a rescue operation was launched by rescue teams at the incident site. The Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi administration said they had received two bodies and eight injured at the hospital.

Police and rangers launched baton charge to disperse the crowd as it was creating hindrance in the rescue operation because of congested streets.

Talking to Geo News, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Keamari Arif Rao Aslam said police, rangers and rescue teams were working at the incident’s site. He said a gas cylinder shop was situated in the building that collapsed because of the blast.

He said the explosion happened during transfer of gas in the shop as a vehicle loaded with gas cylinders came to supply gas.

The police officer said three people were killed and 17 injured in the incident. The injured included two children and four women, he said.

“A fire erupted immediately after the explosion and six of the wounded people received burn injuries. Three buildings around the building that collapsed are also affected,” he said adding that the said buildings were also vacated for inspection.

The SSP Keamari said debris would be removed with the help of heavy machinery. 

On October 11, an under-construction building collapsed in Karachi’s Shah Faisal Colony area, leaving at least three people dead and several others injured, according to police.

Following the Shah Faisal Colony incident, Sindh Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar had the next day suspended four Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) officers for their negligence.