Staff Reporter
Karachi: At least two people were killed and 34 others injured on Thursday when a powerful explosion ripped through a shop beside a firecracker warehouse on M.A. Jinnah Road, triggering a massive blaze and repeated blasts that sent panic across the area. The intensity of the explosion shattered windows of surrounding buildings, damaged nearby vehicles, and filled the locality with heavy smoke drifting toward the Lines Area. The ground-plus-two structure housed medical equipment shops in addition to the firecracker warehouse. Authorities said flammable materials, including oxygen cylinders, were being urgently removed to prevent a larger catastrophe.
Emergency Response and Casualties
Police and Rangers quickly cordoned off the site as firefighters battled flames that engulfed the warehouse. Traffic on M.A. Jinnah Road near Sea Breeze Plaza was sealed off from both sides amid fears of further explosions. According to police surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed Tariq, 34 injured persons were shifted to hospitals — 20 to Jinnah Hospital and 14 to Civil Hospital — with at least four of them in critical condition. One patient with severe injuries has been taken for emergency surgery. Many victims sustained burns and injuries from flying glass after the shop’s windows were blown out by the blast.
Eyewitness Accounts of Chaos
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as people rushed to help the injured. “We saw people bleeding; it was such a huge explosion. We saved some people and called the fire brigade, which then reached the location,” said one witness. A rescue worker, Shahid, alleged that the back side of the building was being used for packing explosives and confirmed that a 70-year-old victim suffered a broken leg bone due to the blast. Police confirmed that the warehouse was owned by two brothers, both injured in the incident, and said one of them has already given an initial statement, which will be included in the investigation.
Firefighting and Investigation
Ten fire tenders took part in hours-long efforts to bring the flames under control, though the operation was hampered by intermittent explosions inside the building. Rescue and fire brigade teams remained on-site for cooling operations. DIG South confirmed that most injuries were caused by shrapnel from shattered glass.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar expressed concern, saying storage of explosive material is strictly prohibited in populated areas. He revealed that the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) had previously taken action against the same warehouse owner for storing explosives. “It is surprising to me that people are still keeping explosive material in the city,” he said, adding that the provincial government is investigating whether any permission was granted or if it was the owner’s personal decision — an act he said amounted to risking human lives.
