HYDERABAD: Six people were killed and seven others injured when an explosion, followed by a fire, ripped through an illegal fireworks factory in Leghari Goth, located on the outskirts of Latifabad, at around 4pm on Saturday.
The powerful blast shook the nearby neighbourhoods and created panic among residents. Rescue 1122 and police teams arrived at the site after receiving alerts from locals.
Thick smoke was rising from the factory near the Indus River embankment, and rescuers were attempting to pull trapped individuals from the burning structure. The intense flames made the early rescue efforts extremely difficult.
Rescue 1122 personnel eventually brought the fire under control, but as they began to clear the debris, scattered fireworks in the factory started exploding again. With assistance from security agencies, three fire brigade units were deployed to spray water and cool the explosive material. Once the area was made safer, the bodies and injured persons were retrieved and shifted to hospitals.
According to Hyderabad police, the initial explosion was so powerful that it destroyed the outer boundary wall of the factory and collapsed its internal structure, leaving several people trapped inside.
A Rescue 1122 Urban Search and Rescue team, equipped with specialized tools, continued searching through the rubble. Initially, those suffering from burns were shifted to the Bhitai Hospital in Latifabad, but they were later referred to the Civil Hospital Hyderabad due to the availability of a burns ward.
Rescue 1122 confirmed that six bodies and seven injured individuals had been recovered from the site. According to a list released by the Civil Hospital administration, two of the deceased were identified as 45-year-old Rasheed and 23-year-old Waseem, while the remaining bodies had burnt beyond recognition.
At the Civil Hospital’s burns ward, those under treatment include 55-year-old Murtaza, who suffered 12 percent burns; 35-year-old Nazar with 90 percent burns; 35-year-old Anas with 40 percent burns; 30-year-old Khashif with 80 percent burns; 35-year-old Shiraz with 75 percent burns; 50-year-old Naeem with 75 percent burns; and 50-year-old Nusrat, wife of Arshad, with 80 percent burns. Their treatment is ongoing, and several are said to be in critical condition.
Rescue teams continued their search operation late into the night based on reports from area residents regarding the possibility of more people being trapped under the rubble.
Deputy Commissioner Hyderabad Zain ul Abideen visited the site to review the rescue operation, and later Hyderabad Mayor Kashif Shoro also arrived to monitor progress and gather details.
Hyderabad SSP Adeel Hussain Chandio first reached Civil Hospital to check on the injured and obtain initial information, before proceeding to the site of the blast.
Speaking to the media at the Civil Hospital, SSP Chandio said that when police reached the factory, the structure had already collapsed and the fire was still raging. He stated that the owner of the illegal factory, Asad, son of Ilyas Khan, is absconding and raids are being conducted to arrest him.
He added that although the factory had been issued a manufacturing and sealing licence in 2020, the location mentioned in the documents was different. Running the factory secretly in Leghari Goth was entirely illegal, and an inquiry had begun to determine how the permit had been granted and on what basis.
Speaking to The News, SSP Chandio confirmed that six people had died and seven were injured, three of whom were in critical condition. He said the injured were not in a position to record statements, and investigations were continuing.
He added that he was personally supervising the inquiry and that an initial report would be submitted soon. No action had been taken against any official so far.
Regarding registration of an FIR, he said that the families of the deceased had the first right to file a complaint, and if they did not, an FIR would be registered by the state.
Mayor Kashif Shoro also visited the injured at the Civil Hospital and assured them that they would be shifted to Karachi if required.
Deputy Commissioner Zain ul Abideen, while speaking to the media, said the situation had been fully reviewed and that authorities, with the support of police and other relevant departments, would ensure the matter was thoroughly investigated.
Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar took notice of the explosion and directed the Hyderabad SSP to immediately submit preliminary details of the incident.
He ordered verification of whether the factory possessed a valid licence and instructed that if the unit was operating illegally, strict legal action be taken against the owner and all those responsible.
The home minister further directed authorities to confirm the status of the licence through the relevant competent authority and to keep him updated on all essential steps being taken as part of the investigation.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah took notice of the blast at the factory in Hyderabad and ordered strict action against those responsible. He directed officials to ensure immediate and best possible medical treatment for the injured workers and sought an urgent report along with a factual brief from the commissioner and deputy commissioner of Hyderabad.
According to the spokesperson for the chief minister, Murad Ali Shah ordered a thorough audit of safety measures at the factory and emphasised that negligence in industrial safety would not be tolerated. He reiterated that protecting workers is the government’s top priority and that any lapses in this regard are unacceptable.
