LARKANA: As many as 14 LPG cylinder shops were sealed by local administration in Ratodero town on Monday in the wake of a blast in a cylinder shop a day before and over heightened fears of occurrence of a tragedy like that of May 30 explosion in gas cylinder shop in Paretabad, Hyderabad, which had so far claimed 27 lives.

Ratodero mukhtiarkar Abdul Sami Luhar told journalists that he had sealed the LPG shops, which were being run illegally, after receiving directives from Larkana deputy commissioner.

He said the shops were situated in the heart of the town and warned the sealed shops would not be de-sealed without mand-atory inspection by civil defense officials.

The DC had made it clear that the shops would not be allowed to resume business till they received a go-ahead from civil defense, mukhtiarkar quoted him as saying.

He said that an inquiry would be launched into Sunday’s LPG cylinder blast in Jalbani locality, Ratodero, in which five persons suffered burns.

The LPG filling machine operator, Farhan Junejo, and four others identified as Waseem Odhano, Awais Soomro, Bilawal Noonari and Abdul Aziz Soomro, who were present in the shop, were injured and shifted to taluka hospital.

Paretabad blast death toll rises to 27

Another victim of Paretabad gas cylinder tragedy breathed his last on Saturday night in Karachi, taking the toll to 27.

Hyderabad deputy commissioner Zain Memon said that the latest victim, four-year-old Waris son of Bilal died at Patel Hospital, Karachi, where he was shifted following the May 30 explosion in gas cylinder shop in Paretabad.

A number of patients from the tragedy were still under treatment at Civil Hospital Karachi.

Bhitshah LPG blast victim dies

Another victim of Bhitshah LPG cylinder explosion, Mohammad Saleh, 51, with 70pc burns, breathed his last at Liaquat University Hospital (LUH) Hyderabad on Monday.

Earlier, a seriously injured Dilbar, 50, had died of his wounds on June 7, according to hospital RMO Dr Faizan Memon.

The blast victims Khuda Bux, 65, and Bheemlal, 26, were also stated to be in critical condition with 90pc and 60pc burns, respectively, and the condition of Nadir Ali, 26, and Waheed Shah, 56, with 35pc and 66pc burns, respectively, was also not satisfactory. They were all admitted to intensive care unit of the hospital.

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2024