Karachi Building Blast: 16 Dead, Including Women and Children

Karachi: At least 16 people, including women and children, were killed when a three-storey building collapsed following an explosion in Karachi’s Soldier Bazaar early Thursday morning.

The incident occurred around 4:00 am, during sehri, the pre-dawn meal observed by Muslim families during Ramadan. Thirteen others were injured and rushed to nearby hospitals.

Hassan Khan, spokesman for the provincial rescue agency, confirmed the casualties. Senior city official Nasrullah Abbasi said the explosion appears to have been caused by a gas leak, though investigations are ongoing to determine the exact reason.

This tragedy echoes last year’s incident in Lyari, Karachi, where 27 people died and 10 were injured after a five-storey building collapsed. The government has previously declared around 600 buildings in Karachi as dangerous.

Authorities are continuing rescue operations and urge residents in older structures to exercise caution.