THARPARKAR: The number of people killed in a deadly oxygen cylinder blast at a Basic Health Unit (BHU) Plus facility in Tharparkar climbed to 10 after an injured victim died on the way to Karachi for treatment, rescue officials said.
The ambulance, operated by the People's Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI), caught fire while staff were changing its oxygen cylinder, according to rescue officials.
Assistant Commissioner Nagarparkar Erum Karim Narejo said the ambulance was parked at the health facility when the explosion occurred.
Hospital administration said a pregnant woman was still inside the ambulance when staff began fitting the oxygen cylinder. An explosion during the process triggered the fire.
Police said those killed included a PPHI dispenser, the ambulance driver, a watchman and another employee.
The victims also included a pregnant woman and two attendants, according to earlier information provided by rescue officials.
Police said two midwives and a female attendant at the basic health centre were among the injured.
The injured were being shifted to Civil Hospital Mithi for treatment, while teams from the district administration, rescue services and the health department were present at the scene.
Sindh Home Minister and Law Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar has taken notice of the incident and sought details from the Tharparkar senior superintendent of police (SSP) and deputy commissioner, according to a spokesperson.
He directed authorities to ensure immediate medical assistance and timely treatment for the injured, who were shifted to Karachi after receiving initial treatment, according to the Tharparkar SSP.
Initial reports suggest an oxygen cylinder exploded in the ambulance, while expert teams from Mirpurkhas and Karachi have been called in to examine the evidence, a provincial government spokesperson said.
Lanjar also expressed condolences to the families of those who died.
Authorities were also working to establish the identities of the deceased.
The incident has renewed attention on healthcare and emergency transport in Tharparkar, a largely arid district where residents often depend on public health facilities for medical care.
In October 2019, Geo.tv reported that Civil Hospital Mithi had refused to provide an ambulance to transport the body of a deceased infant, citing a lack of funds for fuel.
That incident was separate from Thursday's explosion but highlighted difficulties in accessing emergency transport in the district.
The cause of the explosion has yet to be officially confirmed.
