LARKANA: Underground fuel tanks of a filling station in Lahori locality near Rice Canal bridge exploded late on Saturday night after a petrol-laden tanker caught fire while unloading the fuel into the tanks.

The blast damaged the filling station and nearby houses. The flames and smoke caused panic among the filling station workers and passersby. The loud explosion was heard throughout the area, spreading fear and chaos among residents, who rushed out of their homes in alarm, he said.

Luckily, no one was hurt in the incident. After receiving reports of the incident, Rescue 1122 teams and fire brigade rushed to the scene and successfully contained the fire.

Rescue 1122 declared the area clear while the filling station’s administration closed the down station temporarily by putting up tents and barricades around it.

Assistant Commissioner Raja Khan Qureshi and Sachal Town Chairman Sarfaraz Khokhar reached the area to gather details about the incident but they faced wrath of people who staged a protest during their visit.

The area’s people complained that a similar incident had occurred a few years back at the same petrol pump when a tractor caught fire.

They claimed that the filling station caught fire once again late on Saturday night. The filling station was in a residential area that had put their lives at risk.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2025