A tragic incident rocked Mardan’s Irum Colony late on Friday night when a gas cylinder explosion caused the roof of a two-storey house to collapse, killing six members of the same family and injuring two others, according to rescue officials.
The powerful blast occurred around midnight, flattening the upper structure of the residential building and burying the occupants under the debris. Upon receiving the alert, Rescue 1122 teams rushed to the scene and began a search and recovery operation under difficult conditions.
Officials confirmed that a woman and children were among the eight individuals pulled out from the rubble, including six deceased and two injured, after a seven-hour operation. All victims were shifted to a nearby hospital, where the injured are currently receiving medical treatment.
“All six people who lost their lives belonged to the same family,” a rescue spokesperson said, adding that the explosion was likely triggered by a gas leak accumulating in the house overnight.
According to District Emergency Officer Syed Shoaib Mansoor, the deceased included 36-year-old Fawad, his wife, seven-year-old son Rayan, four-year-old daughter Aiza, 25-year-old Shah Fahd and eight-year-old Tuba. The injured include five-year-old Aisha and five-year-old Dua.
More than 100 rescue personnel participated in the rescue operation, and heavy machinery was used in the operation. Later, funeral prayers were offered for the six family members, and they were laid to rest.
