RAWALPINDI, Jan 2: Seven members of a family in Gulraiz colony on Wednesday suffered burn injuries from a gas-related accident in the kitchen.

The accident occurred because the occupants of the house forgot to turn off the stove during gas loadshedding.

The family were shifted to Holy Family Hospital (HFH) and later to POF Hospital Wah for treatment.

Imran Bakhsh, 30, who owns a welding workshop in Gulraiz colony, said in his statement that his wife Sumera, 24, got up at 3am to boil milk for their daughter.

He said that as she lit the match stick, in order to light the gas stove, a terrifying gas explosion took place.

According to Mr Bakhsh, his wife along with their three children — one-and-a-half-month-old Ali Imran, two-year-old Marva Imran and five-year-old Minahil — sustained burns in the fire.

In addition, two nephews, twin brothers, Omer Shafiq and Usman Shafiq were also injured in the incident. The nephews were sleeping in an adjacent room.

When contacted, Tahir Khan, younger brother of Imran Bakhsh, while speaking to Dawn confirmed the incident.

He said, while quoting his brother’s wife that she might have forgotten to switch off the gas stove before sleeping as there was natural gas loadshedding at the time.

According to Mr Khan the gas supply was restored, while the residents of the house were sleeping.

Due to the gas leak, the rooms were filled with gas that caused the explosion, he said.

“First the injured were removed to the Holy Family Hospital but later to POF Hospital Wah,” Tahir Khan said.

He said the condition of his brother’s wife was critical, however, the twin nephews were stable and allowed to go home after first aid.

In another incident, two house servants Adil, 10, and his sister Salma, 25, suffered burn injuries, after being trapped in a fire that erupted due to a natural gas leak, on Wednesday, in Tench Bhatta.

The incident happened in Firdous street, Tench Bhatta, when a housemaid tried to light up a stove.

Later, the injured were removed to a hospital, where they were reported to be in critical condition.