Islamabad - At least 18 people were injured in a blast occurred in a medical equipment store here on Wednesday.
According to police sources, the explosion occurred in the warehouse of a medical equipment store, Iqbal & Co, located in Al-Falah Manzil in Sector E-11/4, falling in the limits of Golra police station. The blast, which according to the police took place due to gas leakage at the reception of the office, caused burn injuries but, luckily, no death was reported. Police soon cordoned off the area and the rescue workers shifted the injured to the hospitals. According to the police, 13 of the injured were shifted to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) while five others to Maroof International Hospital in F-10 Markaz. Three of the injured at PIMS are stated to be in critical condition.
After the blast, building transformer caught fire and blasted after couple of minutes. Transformer blast badly damaged one side of the building and caused more injuries. Personnel of the law enforcement agencies examined the blast scene for evidence. The explosion was so severe that it shattered the windowpanes of the building’s upper floors as well as nearby apartments.