‘Poisonous gas’ claims three more lives in Keamari 

KARACHI: Three more people were fell prey to a ‘poisonous gas’ in the Keamari area of the metropolis in the wee hours of Tuesday, taking the death toll to nine.

The Sindh Health Department confirmed the 7th death from the gas leak at the Ziauddin Hospital late Monday while another man died later at the KPT Hospital.

According to sources, the two victims of the poisonous gas were identified as a 60-year-old Imran and a 40-year-old Yousaf. The bodies were shifted to Civil Hospital Karachi for medico-legal formalities.

Sources said on Monday over 11 other people were brought to KPT and Ziauddin Hospitals with severe breathing problems.  It further stated that local people of the area in Keamari kept face masks on for the entire day on Monday. Also, schools in the locality remained closed and people stayed indoors.

On the other hand, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah convened an emergency meeting of the administrative authorities, including Health Secretary Zahid Ali Abbasi, Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Shah, Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Ali Shallwani and others to talk about the situation.

Sources from Edhi Foundation said that gas leak affected several people at the Keamari port and adjacent areas including Railway Colony and ambulances were sent to the areas to shift them to the hospital.

 As most affected people were sent to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Jinnah Hospital, these health facilities were facing difficulties in finding space for the increasing number of affected people.

READ MORE: Six dead, over 90 hospitalised in Keamari ‘gas leak’ incident

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Ali Zaidi on Monday turned down the news regarding mysterious gas leakage from any cargo ship in the Keamari area of the metropolis.

READ MORE: Minster rejects news of gas leakage from cargo ship in Keamari