The blast was so powerful that it destroyed a large number of shops and other buildings in the vicinity.
Within minutes of the blast the news flash on the television channels sent a wave of panic across the country as it was feared that it could be the first major incident of organised terrorism in the interior of Sindh. However, the local administration and provincial authorities were quick to respond and Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza put all speculations to rest by declaring it an accident. The accident was apparently caused due to the negligence of the gas-transporting firm.
The Hala Naka, which was the scene of devastation, was immediately thronged by scores of people to search through the rubble of destroyed shops for survivors. The rescue work was soon taken over by the paramilitary troops and relief agencies, which helped shift the wounded to nearby hospitals.
The explosion took place at around 1130 am in a place being used as a truck stand, damaging and destroying electricity poles, nearby shops, a mosque and some cabins. Power supply was also cut as some flying debris hit the electric wires.
Seven of those killed were identified as Zulfiqar Sohaq, Sikander Ali, Ghazanfar, Mohammed Saeed, Sabz Ali, Kishoor and Nizam. Bodies of many others were mutilated beyond recognition, doctors said.
Three of the injured were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS). Some of the injured were discharged after being given first aid.
Witnesses said the blast was so powerful that splinters of the tanker hit even the upper storey of a nearby mosque, Qasim Nanotvi Masjid, across the road. Another splinter landed in a katcha abadi, hundreds of metres away.
The driver's cabin was torn off the vehicle and struck a truck about 60 metres away.
A large number of trucks and other vehicles parked nearby for repairs were damaged.
The blast threw everyone into confusion as the bomb disposal squad and the administration kept giving conflicting causes.
The incident also put a question mark on the efficiency and expertise of the bomb disposal squad as it kept insisting that the tanker was carrying LPG.
The mystery about the cause of the explosion was, however, resolved when the cleaner of the vehicle, Nadeem, and driver Qasim confirmed to media that the tanker was carrying carbon dioxide (CO2) which had been loaded in Multan and was to be supplied to a local factory.
“Around 18 to 20 tons of CO2 was loaded onto the vehicle,” Qasim, who was in a state of drowsiness with multiple injuries in the hospital, told journalists.
The factory's manager, Sajid Junejo, told Dawn that the Multan-based company supplied CO2 to different factories for soft drinks.
However, it was not clear what safety measures were adopted for the shipment of such a huge quantity of gas and whether the driver and crew were at all trained to handle such a dangerous consignment.
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