Death toll of children rises to 12 in Kohlu gas cylinder blast
Yousaf Marri
KOHLU: The death toll of children in Balochistan’s Kohlu gas cylinder blast rises to 12 on Thursday morning. Three children succumbed to burn injuries in Punjab’s Multan hospital, Sher Muhammad Marri, a senior levies (tribal policing) official said.
A gas cylinder blast had injured 33 people including 31 children in Kohlu’s Bohri area on November 8. The injured shifted to district headquarters hospital Kohlu for medical treatment. However, 13 seriously injured children shifted to Multan for medical treatment.
“From two families six children died”, Mr. Marri informed. He said the ages of the children were from five years to 10 years. Four children are still in critical condition in Multan hospital’s burn ward, Haq Nawaz Muhammad Hassani, a senior police officer told Quetta Voice.
The children had gathered around a potato chips seller at a wedding party when the gas cylinder exploded. The injured children were quickly rushed to the hospital after the tragedy struck. “The whole area is mourning the loss of innocent lives”, Rahim Marri an elder of the area said.
Unsafe gas cylinders claimed scores of precious human lives
Unsafe gas cylinders have claimed scores of precious human lives in various parts of Balochistan. Police registered a case against the potato chips seller Muhammad Asghar. “Asghar also seriously injured in the blast”, Sher Muhammad Marri mentioned. He said no arrest made in connection with the gas cylinder blast.
The Balochistan government had also announced financial support for the family members of children. However, the government has not mentioned the compensation amount in this regard.
A few months back, an unsafe gas cylinder had claimed six lives in Balochistan’s district Pishin. Such incidents have become almost the order of the day in the province.
