THARPARKAR: At least nine people were killed and four others injured when an oxygen cylinder exploded inside an ambulance in Dano Dhandhal, in the Nagarparkar area of Sindh’s Tharparkar district, officials said.
According to the assistant commissioner, the explosion occurred in a Pakistan People’s Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI) ambulance parked at a Basic Health Unit Plus (BHU Plus). The ambulance caught fire while its oxygen cylinder was being replaced, triggering the blast.
Rescue officials said the deceased included two women and several men identified as Jaswant, Ishaq Thebo, Pandhi Rajar and Dhano Meghwar, among others. The injured were shifted to Civil Hospital Mithi for treatment.
Following reports of the incident, local administration officials, rescue teams and health department personnel reached the scene and launched relief operations.
Tharparkar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) said the ambulance was completely destroyed in the explosion. He added that experts would be engaged to investigate the incident and determine its cause.
President Zardari Orders Transparent Probe
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed grief over the loss of lives in the oxygen cylinder explosion in Tharparkar.
He directed authorities to conduct a transparent investigation to establish the cause of the incident and called for effective safety measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Previous Gas Cylinder Explosions in Pakistan
Incidents involving gas cylinder explosions in vehicles, passenger vans and buses have occurred in Pakistan in the past, causing multiple fatalities and injuries.
On July 8, 2023, an LPG cylinder exploded in a passenger van on Kot Momin Road in Bhalwal tehsil of Punjab’s Sargodha district, killing seven people and injuring 14 others.
On October 15, 2023, a gas cylinder exploded inside a vehicle in Islamabad’s F-7 sector, killing two women and injuring two other people.
On January 27, 2025, an explosion involving an LPG-filled tanker in Multan killed six people and injured 38 others. The blast also damaged nearby houses and affected several vehicles.
