A residential building in the Gul Rana Colony area of Soldier Bazaar, Karachi, collapsed after what authorities are suspecting to be an explosion caused by leaked gas. Rescue authorities said the incident killed 13 people, including women and children, and left 13 others injured.

The injured and deceased were taken to Civil Hospital. “According to initial reports, the explosion occurred due to a gas leak, resulting in part of the building collapsing,” a District East police spokesperson said.

Rescue 1122 said search and rescue operations are being carried out, with an urban search and rescue team and a disaster response vehicle at the site.

The police added that a large contingent of law enforcement, along with rescue teams, arrived shortly after the incident. “Police cordoned off the area and tightened security, while rescue agencies initiated search and rescue operations,” the spokesperson said.

Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah took notice of the incident and directed authorities to immediately rescue those trapped and provide medical assistance. He also ordered full support for affected families and instructed the Karachi commissioner to investigate the cause.

The collapse follows similar recent incidents in Karachi. In July 2025, 27 people were killed when a five-storey building collapsed in Lyari. Authorities had previously declared that building uninhabitable.
 

In August 2025, four Awami National Party workers were injured in a gas explosion that caused their Orangi Town office to collapse.

Experts have said that roof and building collapses are frequent in Pakistan due to poor safety standards and substandard construction materials. Karachi, with over 20 million residents, has faced recurring incidents linked to illegal extensions, ageing infrastructure, overcrowding, and weak enforcement of building regulations.