A newly married couple were killed when a gas cylinder exploded at a house in Islamabad where they were sleeping after their wedding party, police have said. A further six people - including wedding guests and family members - who were staying there also died in the blast. More than a dozen people were injured.
The explosion took place at 07:00 local time (02:00 GMT) on Sunday, causing the roof to collapse. Parts of the walls were blown away, leaving piles of bricks, large concrete slabs, and furniture strewn across the floor. Injured people were trapped under the rubble and had to be carried out on stretchers by rescue workers.
Emergency workers reported that the blast happened due to gas leakage, which filled the room and then exploded, also damaging three neighboring houses. The chairman of Pakistan's Senate, Yusuf Raza Gilani, described it as a heart-wrenching incident that turned celebrations into mourning.
Hanif Masih, the father of the groom, stated his son had been married just the day prior. He tragically lost his son, daughter-in-law, wife, and sister-in-law all in the explosion. Rescuers worked tirelessly, utilizing sniffer dogs and advanced technology to search for survivors in the debris.
Officials emphasized the need for better safety measures regarding the use of liquefied petroleum gas cylinders, which are commonly used in Pakistani households and linked to other deadly accidents.
The explosion took place at 07:00 local time (02:00 GMT) on Sunday, causing the roof to collapse. Parts of the walls were blown away, leaving piles of bricks, large concrete slabs, and furniture strewn across the floor. Injured people were trapped under the rubble and had to be carried out on stretchers by rescue workers.
Emergency workers reported that the blast happened due to gas leakage, which filled the room and then exploded, also damaging three neighboring houses. The chairman of Pakistan's Senate, Yusuf Raza Gilani, described it as a heart-wrenching incident that turned celebrations into mourning.
Hanif Masih, the father of the groom, stated his son had been married just the day prior. He tragically lost his son, daughter-in-law, wife, and sister-in-law all in the explosion. Rescuers worked tirelessly, utilizing sniffer dogs and advanced technology to search for survivors in the debris.
Officials emphasized the need for better safety measures regarding the use of liquefied petroleum gas cylinders, which are commonly used in Pakistani households and linked to other deadly accidents.
