An explosion at a fireworks storage facility in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi left at least 25 people injured on Thursday, several of them critically, police and hospital officials said.
Television footage showed thick plumes of smoke rising from the building, with shattered glass from nearby shops strewn across the street. Witnesses said residents fled the area in panic as the blast triggered chaos.
Senior police officer Asad Raza said firefighters battled the flames while ambulances rushed the injured, including pedestrians, to different hospitals.
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The explosion also damaged multiple shops and vehicles along Jinnah Road, a busy commercial area of the city. Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the blast.
Pakistan has witnessed similar incidents in the past. In January, six people were killed in an explosion at another fireworks storage facility in Mandi Bahauddin, located in Punjab province.
Source: Agency