A devastating fire, triggered by a gas cylinder explosion, claimed the lives of two people in Karachi’s Federal B Area on Saturday night. The incident occurred at a gas cylinder shop located in Block 16, according to police.

The explosion caused a significant fire that quickly engulfed the shop and its contents. Two fire tenders arrived at the scene and extinguished the blaze. Following the fire’s suppression, the bodies of two men were discovered amidst the debris. The victims, estimated to be between 35 and 40 years old, were reportedly employees of the shop. Their identities are yet to be officially confirmed, and their bodies have been transported to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for legal proceedings.

The fire prompted the immediate evacuation of apartments above the shop. Residents of the building reported smoke filling their flats, forcing women and children to flee. Many residents struggled with smoke inhalation. The LP gas shop was located on the ground floor of a flat project. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The incident resulted in significant traffic congestion on Rashid Minhas Road, causing long queues of vehicles on the road connecting Gulshan-e-Iqbal to Sohrab Goth. K-Electric also cut power to the area, which predominantly houses vehicle workshops beneath the affected flats.

Local residents allege that the shop had been previously sealed but was reopened, placing blame on the police for allowing its operation to resume. Investigations into the cause of the fire and the full circumstances surrounding the incident are ongoing.