Hyderabad cylinder blast: Death toll climbs to 7

HYDERABAD: The death toll from the devastating cylinder blast in Hyderabad’s Paretabad area climbed to seven on Friday.

According to reports from the civil hospital, one more injured person succumbed to their injuries, bringing the total number of fatalities to seven. Meanwhile, nine people remain in critical condition, fighting for their life in the burns centre.

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The explosion occurred on Thursday at a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder refilling shop. Several people were injured, including children and women.

Eyewitnesses recount that following the initial blast, another explosion occurred as people attempted to extinguish the fire. This resulted in further chaos and destruction.

The fires overall caused extensive burns to 51 people, who were then transported to local hospitals for treatment.

The leaders of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) convened a press conference in Hyderabad, where they criticized what they deemed as serious negligence by the local administration. They highlighted the closure of a fire station in the densely populated Paretabad area, along with the non-operational status of firefighting vehicles, as factors contributing to the incident.

The MQM-P leaders demanded “accountability” from the local administration and urged for the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against the Hyderabad Mayor Kashif Shoro. They expressed frustration over the lack of response to their previous calls for action to address potential safety hazards in the area.

In response to mounting criticism, the city’s mayor pledged “swift action” against illegal businesses operating in the city. He acknowledged the tragic consequences of the blast and assured that a crackdown on illegal cylinder shops was already underway.

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Meanwhile, residents expressed frustration over the delayed response of firefighters and called for improved emergency preparedness measures in the future.