TAXILA: Seven of a family, among them a 16-month-old baby boy, were critically injured after their house caught fire due to a gas leak in Haroon village of Hazro town on Sunday, police and rescue sources said.

District Emergency Officer Ali Hasnain told reporters that when Sughra, the house lady, switched on the stove, a ball of fire engulfed the house and resultantly the roof of the house caved in. All seven members of the family including the lady, her 46-year-old husband Sultan, seven-year-old daughter Haniya, six-year-old daughter Manhil, five-year-old daughter Umme Hani, four-year-old daughter Manahil and 16-month-old baby boy Hasnain were trapped in the debris.

Later, locals and Rescue 1122 officials retrieved the victims and shifted them to Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital Hazro.

He said the injured were moved to Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi due to their critical condition. Police sources said the cause of the blast seemed to be due to a gas leak.

Published in Dawn, January 23th, 2023