6 dead as gas cylinder explosion causes building to collapse in Pakistan’s Punjab

TIL Desk/World/Islamabad/ At least six people were killed and 10 others injured on Sunday when a three-storey building collapsed due to a gas cylinder explosion in Pakistan’s Punjab province, officials said. The three-storey hotel building located on the Grand Trunk Road in Punjab’s Jhelum area collapsed after the cylinder exploded in the kitchen, they said.

Jhelum Deputy Commissioner told the media that six people were killed while 10 injured were admitted to hospitals for treatment.”(Rescue) efforts are underway and our teams are present here. There are reports that four to five people were still under the rubble,” he said. He added that the rescue operation would continue till the whole site was cleared.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief over the loss of lives in the building collapse and extended condolences to the bereaved families. Earlier, a newspaper reported that the explosion took place at around 9:45 am Sunday, following which the rescue teams “immediately responded and initiated rescue efforts”.