A blast involving an oxygen tank inside an ambulance parked at a medical facility in Tharparkar, Sindh, claimed the lives of at least nine individuals, which included an expectant mother.
Flames engulfed the vehicle, managed by the People's Primary Healthcare Initiative, as personnel were installing the oxygen equipment. Hospital officials stated that the pregnant patient remained inside the vehicle during the blast.
Erum Karim Narejo, Assistant Commissioner Nagarparkar, verified that the vehicle was stationed at a Basic Health Unit Plus location when the detonation sparked the blaze.
Among the dead were a People's Primary Healthcare Initiative dispenser, the vehicle operator, a security guard, another worker, the expectant mother, and two accompanying persons. An injured individual passed away during transfer to Karachi, bringing the total fatalities to nine.
Injured victims included two midwives and a female worker at the medical center. They obtained initial medical attention prior to transfer to Karachi for advanced care.
Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, Sindh Home Minister and Law Minister, intervened in the matter and requested reports from the Tharparkar deputy commissioner and senior superintendent of police. He instructed officials to provide prompt care to the wounded and offered sympathy to the families of the deceased.
Specialist teams from Karachi and Mirpurkhas were summoned by provincial officials to investigate physical evidence and find the trigger for the explosion. Authorities were also working to confirm the identities of all victims.
Official confirmation of the specific reason behind the explosion remains pending.
