At least sixteen personnel were injured after an explosion ripped through the second floor of the city police station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swabi district on Thursday, police said.

A statement from the Swabi police spokesperson said the explosion was caused by a short circuit in a room where material and case evidence were dumped, injuring 16-17 personnel and damaging the building.

It added that a departmental inquiry would be initiated against the negligent police officers. The statement said Rescue 1122 managed to snuff the fire and senior police officials were present on the scene as activities were under way to remove the rubble.

Mardan Regional Police Officer (RPO) Najibur Rehman told local media that the blast was caused by explosive material in the police station’s warehouse and left 17 police personnel injured.

He added that bomb disposal personnel were investigating the incident, adding that further updates were incoming regarding the nature of the explosion. RPO Rehman confirmed the information to Dawn.com.

Swabi District Emergency Officer (DEO) Awais Babar said that Rescue 1122 moved 15 injured to the District Headquarters Hospital and Bacha Khan Medical Complex, adding that there were a total of “25 casualties”.

He said the rescue operation was still ongoing.

KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur ordered the provincial police chief and chief secretary to reach the incident site immediately. He also summoned a report on the nature of the explosion.

The chief minister ordered divisional and district administrations to begin rescue operations to ensure that there was timely provision of medical aid to the injured.

On July 17, hand grenades stored in Jamshoro Police Station’s evidence lockup detonated and caused a large explosion, leaving five policemen and one suspect injured, police said.

Deputy Inspector General Tariq Razzak Dharejo said the blast was caused by old hand grenades stored in the warehouse detonating accidentally in the sweltering heat.