MARDAN, Oct 13: Four children were killed and nine others injured when a gas cylinder exploded at Jamal Garhi village, some 12 kilometres from here, on Sunday.

Baloon seller Fazal Mohammad, surrounded by children, was busy in filling balloons with gas from the gas cyclinder at a crowded street in Jamal Garhi village, when the cylinder exploded.

The explosion left four children dead on the spot while nine others, including the owner of the cylinder, Fazal Mohammad, received serious injuries.

Two of the seriously injured children were taken to a Peshawar hospital while the rest were admitted to the DHQ Hospital, Mardan.

The children killed in the incident, have been identified as Naeema, Talha, Yousuf Khan and Sameeullah.