At least 40 people were injured on Wednesday when a gas cylinder exploded in the kitchen of a restaurant in H-Block, Defence Housing Authority (DHA).
No death had been reported by the time this report was filed. According to the Mayo Hospital DMS (Emergency) 13 people were admitted to the hospital, of which four – Zareef, 30, Ismat, 35, Basharat, 55, and Afzal Abbas, 44 – are in a critical condition. Of these, Zareef and Ismat are thought to have been closest to the kitchen when the blast occurred.
Six injured were taken to Lahore General Hospital, where doctors treating them said they were now out of danger.
Some of the other injured were identified as Riaz,30; Sabir,27; Farooq,22; Muhammad Israr,35; Kashif,16; Sarfraz,35; Asif,20; Abdul Jabbar; Qaiser, 13; Inayat, 24; Nazir Masih,28; Aziz,15; Mushtaq,35; and Abdul Latif,32.
“Many received cuts and abrasions from shards of broken glass,” said Jam Sajjad, Rescue 1122 public relations officer. Around 20 people with minor injuries were administered first-aid on the spot by Rescue 1122 and emergency teams. The blast occurred at around 12:15 pm. The windows of some nearby buildings and cars parked in the vicinity were also shattered. Police said the restaurant building had been completely destroyed.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th, 2013.