In brief
An ambulance carrying patients in Nagarparkar, Sindh, erupted when an oxygen cylinder blew up while being fitted, killing at least eight people according to Xinhua and nine according to Anadolu and Geo. Emergency teams from Mirpurkhas and Karachi were called in, and later a wounded victim died en route to Karachi, lifting the death toll for Geo. Investigation continues as officials probe the cause of the blast.
Late Wednesday night, an oxygen cylinder detonated inside a parked ambulance at a basic health unit in Nagarparkar, Tharparkar district of southern Sindh, killing several people and injuring others.
Police say the vehicle was parked at the health facility when the explosion occurred, while hospital staff were replacing or fitting the cylinder. The blast set the ambulance on fire.
"The ambulance was parked at the health facility when the explosion occurred," Assistant Commissioner Nagarparkar Erum Karim Narejo told rescuers.
Xinhua reports eight deaths and four injuries, whereas Anadolu’s 9‑killed figure and Geo’s later adjustment to nine deaths acknowledge an additional fatality after an injured survivor was taken to Karachi.
Victims identified by police include a PPHI dispenser, the ambulance driver, a watchman, another employee, a pregnant woman, and two attendants. Other sources also list several staff members among those injured.
Specialist teams from Mirpurkhas and Karachi were summoned to examine the scene and determine the cause, according to police statements.
Police acknowledge that the cause of the explosion is still being investigated, yet all sources confirm that the cylinder shattered while it was being handled inside the ambulance.
The differing casualty counts reflect the ongoing investigation and revised death tolls as victims deteriorated en route to treatment centers. Further details are expected as the inquiry unfolds.
