17 persons injured in Gharibabad blast

KARACHI: At least 17 persons were injured when a powerful explosion occurred in a firecracker-producing factory in Karachi area of Gharibabad, Geo News reported Friday.

All wounded were taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where two of them are in critical condition. According to hospital sources, the injured include five women and a female child. A state of emergency has been announced at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where para-medical staff have been summoned.

According to eyewitnesses, three houses have been completely damaged.

The blast sound was heard far and wide.

The ambulances arrived on the spot and fire fighters have been called. The local residents and rescuers are taking out the trapped injured people from under rubble.

A lot of people gathered on the blast site, police had to resort to break them up.

According to police, a blast occurred in a house causing many houses to cave in completely. A two-storey house turned into pile of rubble.

According to preliminary reports, a factory making firecrackers caught fire triggering many crackers to blast. The house was being used as a godown of firecrackers.