Karachi: The number of the dead of the explosion of the Warehouse of Thursday’s firecrackers on the Ma Jinnah road in the port city increased to six after another person injured in the explosion succumbed to their wounds during the treatment course.
Police said the owner of the warehouse, Muhammad Hanif, aka Patakha Wala, who was also injured in the explosion, had been arrested from the hospital. However, his brother Ayub, also injured, fled the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) on Friday night and remains in general. Police said raids were carried out to stop Ayub.
Both brothers have been nominated in the one registered at the Preedy Police Station, which includes charges of involuntary homicide, negligence and endangered.
According to the researchers, Hanif had been importing fireworks from other cities and abroad, and was also preparing explosive material in the back of the same facilities.
Rescue and police officers said four bodies were recovered from the site shortly after the explosion, while two of the injured died during treatment, which raised the number of deaths to six. More than 30 other injured and transferred to Dr. Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital and JPMC, several with serious burns injuries.
A report from the pump elimination equipment declared that almost 500 kilograms of fireworks were consumed in the explosion, whose sound was heard up to seven kilometers away. The explosion caused devastation within a radius of 100 meters, damaging the building, shops and nearby vehicles, according to the report.
The authorities also revealed that three additional warehouses within the same building still contain fireworks material, while two containers full of explosives were found in a nearby land. Officials estimate that around 5,000 kilograms of fireworks remain in the place and have recommended urgent safe elimination.
The rescue operation continued until Friday, with the Police, the Fire Brigade and the District Administration Teams on the scene.
