Boiler explosion at a Faisalabad chemical factory kills at least 15.
Nearby structures collapsed; rescue teams searching for survivors.
Punjab officials order full support and seek detailed incident report.
At least 15 people were confirmed dead and several injured after a boiler explosion at a chemical factory in Pakistan’s Punjab province on Friday, PTI reported. The incident occurred in the morning in Faisalabad district, about 130 km from Lahore.
Faisalabad Deputy Commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar told reporters that the boiler explosion in the Malikpur area was so forceful that nearby structures, including an adjacent building, collapsed. “So far, the rescue teams have recovered 15 dead bodies from the rubble and seven injured have been shifted to hospital,” Anwar said. He added that “it is feared that more people are under the debris. The rescue teams are busy removing the rubble. The whole district machinery is taking part in the rescue work.”
PTI reported that emergency personnel continued clearing the site through the afternoon as officials assessed the extent of structural damage. In a statement, Punjab Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar directed that Rescue 1122, the fire brigade and all relevant agencies be given full support.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed her condolences over the deaths and injuries caused by the factory blast, extended sympathy to the families affected and sought a detailed report from the Faisalabad Commissioner. According to PTI, she also asked authorities to expedite the probe into how the incident unfolded.
(With inputs from PTI)
