KARAK: One person was killed and five other members of the family suffered critical injuries in a gas leak explosion in the suburban locality of Karak city on Saturday. It was the second such incident in the current month.

Police and family sources said that Tehsil Begum, wife of Tabib Khan and resident of Kach Banda, was lighting fire in the room when the explosion occurred as it was filled with gas from a leaking pipe.

As a result, three rooms of the house collapsed and six persons, including Tabib Khan, his wife, son Aminullah, daughter-in-law Faryal and grandson Abu Bakar, 9, were buried under the debris.

Local people rushed to the house and started rescue work. After a few hours of struggle, they retrieved the body of Abu Bakar from the rubble, while other family members were rescued. The injured were taken to the district headquarters hospital, Karak, where doctors said their condition was precarious.

Last week, a female schoolteacher was killed in a similar gas explosion in Algaddi area of Karak.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2020