Pakistan: 12 killed & several injured in blast that rocked Karachi's Shershah area

At least 12 people were killed and several others were injured on Saturday when a massive blast, purportedly triggered by a gas explosion in a sewage system, ripped through the premises of a private bank situated atop it. Most of the casualties, as per reports, are customers and staff present inside the bank which was built on top of a covered sewage channel in Karachi's Shershah area and collapsed following the explosion

Officials said that the cause of the explosion is being probed as it cannot be ascertained whether it was a gas pipeline or a build-up of methane that took place inside the sewage system which led to the explosion.

"It is too early to say whether it was a gas line or a sewer explosion. We are investigating," a senior police official said. 

'Many feared to be trapped in the debris'

In the video of the blast site accessed by Republic, damaged buildings surrounded with debris can be seen. Two excavators have been called to the site to remove the debris and rescue any persons trapped there.

A bomb disposal unit (BDU) has also arrived at the location. 

(With PTI inputs)