KARACHI, Sept 18: An eight-year-old boy died and seven others were injured in a blast caused in a firecracker dump in Orangi Town on Monday. Three houses in the neighborhood were also damaged in the blast.

Orangi police said the blast occurred in a cracker dump in the house of Khalid Mehmood.

Kashif, 8, who was in the neighboring house suffered serious injuries; he was pronounced dead at the Qatar Hospital.

Rest of the injured, including Majedan, wife of Khalid Mehmood, were taken to different hospitals. The youngest victim Laiba (2-1/2 months) was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where she was provided treatment.

Those injured included Hina Kanwal, 18, Sonia, 22, Noreen, 25, Hina, 10 and Sehrish, 7.

It is believed that following a Sept 6 raid by the police at the warehouse of Mr Mehmood, he had shifted a considerable stock to his house.

What caused the blast is yet unknown, but crackers dump in the house triggered the blast which caused panic in the furniture market area in Sector 10.

Police said Khalid Mehmood had a business of firecrackers, and on Sept 6, police had raided his warehouse in Mominabad and had impounded two truck-loads of firecrackers.

An FIR 270/06 was lodged at the Mominabad police station against Khalid Mehmood and Afzal.

However, since the raid, Khalid Mehmood had been absconding, police asserted.

Following the blast, Edhi and fire officials rushed to the spot and cleared the debris pulling out the injured.

Area people said fire-crackers business is taking place on a wide scale in Orangi Town.

They alleged that fire crackers manufacturing and storage in different warehouses in the area is taking place with the blessings of local police.