At least seven people were injured in an explosion, caused by a gas leak, within the premises of Islamabad’s National University of Modern Languages (Numl) on Tuesday, according to the police.
Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IG) Ali Nasir Rizvi, speaking to the media, said the explosion occurred around 4pm and was caused by a gas leak ignited by a short circuit.
“When summer ends, the university turns off its gas connection. They turned it on at 3:30pm, but there was an accumulation of gas and a short circuit somewhere,“ the IG said. “A gas leakage caused the explosion.”
The IG outlined that the explosion occurred in a prayer room, which was near a clerk’s office. He stated that seven people were caught in the explosion.
“Five students were there with a clerk and a junior assistant,” IG Rizvi explained.
“The clerk sustained 60-65 per cent burn injuries, the clerical assistant was burned and the students suffered minor burn injuries. Seven people are under treatment; of those, six are out of danger as per the hospital.”
IG Rizvi added that multiple teams were present at the scene, including Operations, Investigations, Special Branch and the Counter-Terrorism Department.
“We have examined the scene thoroughly and have ruled out the use of explosives,” the IG said. “No traces have been found. We are telling the media that this explosion was caused by a gas leakage and a short circuit.”
He added that standard operating procedures were invoked to close all gas connections, and Numl’s administration was instructed to check the gas lines as a precaution.
“We have also instructed them to check the structural stability of the building where the explosion took place,” IG Rizvi added.
Rescue 1122 control-in-charge Subhan told media earlier that the emergency service first received a call at 4:06pm.
“The caller did not know the nature of the explosion, but the administration called us and said that it was caused by a gas cylinder or a gas leak in a room,” he said over the phone.
He added that the fire was controlled by emergency services.
The official added that damage from the explosion was contained to a single room and the rest of the building was not affected.
Islamabad Police spokesperson Jawad Taqi, speaking to media soon after the incident, had also said that a gas leakage caused the explosion.
Visuals from the varsity showed panicked students evacuating the campus as emergency and rescue personnel tried to extinguish the blaze in one of the rooms on the premises.
Bystanders could also be seen rushing to the help of an injured person lying on the ground.
In 2002, the National Institute of Modern Languages was upgraded to a university. It offers many courses from the undergraduate to the PhD level.
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