A gas leak at a glue-making factory in Faisalabad’s Malikpur area triggered a massive early-morning explosion on Friday, killing 20 people, including seven children and two women, and injuring seven others, rescue officials said.

The blast flattened the factory and damaged the roofs of 10 nearby houses, while fires broke out in three additional homes.

Many victims were asleep at the time, including six members of the same family whose two-storey house collapsed in the explosion.

Rescue 1122 deployed 20 vehicles to the site, with teams working to clear debris and recover bodies, which were moved to a mortuary for post-mortem examinations. Faisalabad Commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar and the Regional Police Officer visited the scene to oversee rescue operations.

Seven people sustained serious injuries and are receiving medical treatment, officials said.

The commissioner ordered the arrest of the factory owner, and a total of seven people, including the owner and manager, have been booked in connection with the incident.

Police arrested factory owner Qaiser Chughtai.

Authorities noted that the factory had previously been warned multiple times for using hazardous chemicals.

“Despite repeated prohibitions, the factory continued operations in a residential area,” said officials.

Imran, father of the children who died, said his family was asleep when the explosion destroyed their home, burying them under the rubble. Four other family members were seriously injured.

The rescue operation is expected to conclude within the next one to one-and-a-half hours, officials added.