Blast destroys neighbouring homes; search operation intensified as more casualties feared
At least 19 people were killed and several others injured in an explosion inside a chemical factory in Faisalabad’s Malikpur area early Friday morning.
It is suspected that either the factory’s boiler or the “cooker,” which is used to heat up chemicals, exploded.
The blast, which occurred at around 6am, was so powerful that it caused the roofs of six surrounding houses to cave in, rescue officials reported. 11 other houses have also been damaged.
A family of four, including a husband, wife, and their two children, died when the roof of their home adjacent to the factory caved in, burying them under the rubble. The dead include six children, two women, two elderly citizens, and factory workers.
In the immediate aftermath of the explosion, locals launched their own rescue efforts, pulling bodies from the debris before emergency services arrived. Rescue teams have since taken over operations at the scene and transported the injured to hospitals for treatment, where six individuals are reportedly in critical condition.
Search operations have intensified as authorities fear more victims may remain trapped beneath the rubble.
