The death toll from Thursday’s firecrackers warehouse explosion on MA Jinnah Road in Karachi has increased to six after another person who was injured in the blast died while receiving treatment. Police reported that the owner of the warehouse, Muhammad Hanif alias Patakha Wala, who was also injured in the explosion, has been arrested from the hospital. However, his brother, Ayub, who was also wounded, escaped from Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) on Friday night and remains at large. Police are conducting raids to apprehend Ayub.
Both brothers have been named in the FIR registered at Preedy police station, which includes charges of manslaughter, negligence, and endangering lives. According to investigators, Hanif had been importing fireworks from other cities and abroad, and was also preparing explosive material at the back of the same premises.
Rescue and police officials said that four bodies were recovered from the site immediately after the explosion, while two of the injured later died during treatment, bringing the death toll to six. More than 30 others were wounded and taken to Dr. Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital and JPMC, several with serious burn injuries. A bomb disposal squad report stated that nearly 500 kilograms of fireworks were consumed in the blast, and the sound was heard up to seven kilometers away. The explosion caused devastation within a 100-meter radius, damaging the building, nearby shops, and vehicles.
Authorities further disclosed that three additional storage rooms inside the same building still contain fireworks material, while two containers filled with explosives were found in a nearby ground. Officials estimate that around 5,000 kilograms of fireworks remain on site and have recommended their urgent and safe disposal. The rescue operation continued through Friday, with teams from the police, fire brigade, and district administration present at the scene.
