LAHORE, Pakistan — A devastating industrial accident at a glue factory in Faisalabad resulted in the deaths of at least 18 people and left 21 others injured on Friday. The explosion, attributed to a suspected gas leak, obliterated the factory structure and ignited a massive fire that sent shockwaves through the nearby community, officials reported.
Authorities took immediate action by arresting the factory manager and launching a manhunt for the owner, who reportedly fled the scene shortly after the blast. The Pakistan Punjab police chief, Usman Anwar, confirmed that the exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
While reports of fatalities indicated that roughly 15 workers were among the dead, it was unclear how many of the deceased were factory employees and how many were local residents whose homes were affected by the blast. Raja Jahangir, a local government official, stated that an inquiry is underway to examine how the factory acquired permits to operate in a residential area, a move that appears to contravene local building regulations.
Witnesses described chaos as the explosion flattened the facility, with debris scattering across the streets and nearby homes suffering extensive damage. Rescuers worked tirelessly for hours to retrieve victims from the rubble, with many of the injured reported to be in critical condition.
The impact of the explosion felt akin to a strong earthquake, according to Muhammad Iqbal, a survivor receiving treatment at a local hospital. Iqbal mentioned that both his wife and son sustained injuries but remained stable. “The walls and roofs of our neighbors’ houses just crumbled,” he said.
Local resident Nadeem Zafar recounted the panic that ensued after hearing the deafening blast. “I saw flames and thick smoke rising into the sky. People were screaming, running in all directions, calling for help,” he said. Emergency services responded quickly, mobilizing ambulances and rescue teams to the affected Malikpur neighborhood.
This tragic incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding safety standards in Pakistan’s industrial sector, where such accidents are not uncommon. In 2024, a similar explosion at a textile mill in Faisalabad left a dozen workers injured. Last week, a blast at a firework factory in Karachi claimed four lives, further underscoring the urgent need for stricter safety regulations.
As investigations continue, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif expressed her condolences to the families of the victims and urged authorities to provide superior medical treatment to the injured. The fallout from this disaster poses difficult questions regarding industrial safety and regulatory enforcement in a country where such tragedies occur with alarming frequency.