Suspected gas explosion kills at least 3, injures 19 in Pakistan’s Karachi

Headline

Suspected gas explosion kills at least 3, injures 19 in Pakistan’s Karachi

Intro

At least three people die and around 19 have been wounded after an explosion hits a four-storey building in Pakistan's commercial capital Karachi.

Story

SHOTLIST: KARACHI, PAKISTAN (OCTOBER 21, 2020) (VNA – ACCESS ALL)

1.      POLICEMEN AND PEOPLE LOOKING AT BUILDING PARTIALLY DESTROYED BY EXPLOSION

2.      RESCUE WORKERS CLEARING DEBRIS

3.      DEBRIS ON GROUND WITH PEOPLE CRWODING IN BACKGROUND

4.      RESCUE WORKERS STANDING/PARAMILITARY SOLDIER GESTURING PEOPLE TO STAY AWAY

5.      DEBRIS/PEOPLE STANDING/RESCUE WORKERS  

6.      PEOPLE STANDING BEHIND THE POLICE TAPE

7.      CRANE ARRIVING/PEOPLE, PARAMILITARY SOLDIERS AND RESCUE WORKERS GATHERED

8.      RESCUERS WORKING

9.      (SOUNDBITE) RESCUE OFFICIAL, SAAD EDHI, SAYING: “A blast has taken place here. It is not confirmed at the moment whether it took place outside or inside the building. A part of building and a bank has been affected. Three people are dead and around 19 are injured who have been moved to various hospitals via ambulances.”

10.   RESCUERS WORKING

11.   SOLDIER STANDING ON RUBBLE

12.   BUILDING AND TILT DOWN TO THE DESTROYED PART OF BUILDING

13.   POLICE OFFICIAL (LEFT) TELLING COMMISSIONER OF KARACHI (RIGHT) ABOUT THE INCIDENT

14.   (SOUNDBITE) COMMISSIONER OF KARACHI, SOHAIL RAJPUT, SAYING: “The actual cause of the explosion is yet to be ascertained. There was also a kitchen on the mezzanine floor (of the building) which was in bank’s use. A gas cylinder might have exploded there or may be sabotage. But it is not possible to say something with certainty without complete investigation.”

15.   SOLDIERS AND RESCUE WORKERS

16.   DESTROYED PART OF BUILDING

17.   RESCUE WORK UNDERWAY BEHIND POLICE TAPE

18.   CAR BEING CARRIED AWAY BY CRANE LIFTER

19.   PEOPLE AND POLICE ON EXPLOSION SITE

 

KARACHI, PAKISTAN (OCTOBER21, 2020) (EDHI RESCUE HANDOUT – ACCESS ALL)

20.   EDHI RESCUE WORKERS WHEELING BODY TO MORGUE

 

STORY: At least three people died and around 19 were wounded after an explosion hit a four-storey building in Pakistan's commercial capital Karachi on Wednesday (October 21).  

The explosion occurred at Gulshan-e-Iqbal residential-cum commercial neighbourhood located in the eastern part of the city. The explosion damaged the building’s mezzanine floor and a bank on the ground floor.

All dead and injured were shifted to hospitals.

“A blast has taken place here. It is not confirmed at the moment whether it took place outside or inside the building. A part of building and a bank has been affected. Three people are dead and around 19 are injured who have been moved to various hospitals via ambulances,”said rescue official, Saad Edhi.

The commissioner of Karachi, Sohail Rajput said it apparently looked a gas cylinder blast but the investigation was underway

“The actual cause of the explosion is yet to be ascertained. There was also a kitchen on the mezzanine floor (of the building) which was in bank’s use. A gas cylinder might have exploded there or may be sabotage. But it is not possible to say something with certainty without complete investigation,”he said.

Footage showed the infrastructure of the building was badly damaged. Eyewitnesses said that windows of nearby buildings as well as some vehicles were also damaged.

Law enforcement agencies cordoned off the area.  

Later, a bomb disposal squad arrived to investigate the cause of the blast. According to the initial report, the explosion occurred due to a "leakage of gas".

The report further said that no trace of an improvised explosive device (IED) was found at the scene. However, the squad found pieces of metal and the burner of a stove.

 

End of shows and script

VNA Karachi…..Shahab

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