At least 16 killed after gas explosion rips through apartment building in Pakistan

Explosion in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi leaves at least 16 dead after part of the building collapses

Rescue workers recover a body from the rubble following a gas explosion in an apartment building in Karachi, Pakistan, Thursday, 19 February 2026 (AP)

At least 16 people died after a powerful gas explosion tore through a residential building in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi, causing part of the structure to collapse on Thursday.

Women and children were among those killed and several others were injured in the blast, emergency crews said.

The explosion happened when people were preparing a pre-dawn meal on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in a residential area of Karachi, the capital of Sindh province, local police chief Rizwan Patel said. Rescuers were still removing rubble to search for any survivors trapped under the debris, he added.

Women mourn over the death of their relatives near the site of a gas explosion in an apartment building, in Karachi, Pakistan, Thursday, 19 February 2026 (Associated Press)

The death toll was initially reported at 13 but Mr Patel said it rose to 16 after three more bodies were pulled out from the rubble.

Pakistan’s president Asif Ali Zardari expressed sorrow and condolences to the victims’ families and directed authorities to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured. He also called for a swift completion of rescue operations and urged the Sindh provincial government to enforce building codes, check gas cylinder safety and conduct a thorough inquiry to help prevent similar incidents.

Police provided no further details but said the search and rescue operation was ongoing.

Rescue workers load a body into an ambulance after recovering it from the rubble following a gas explosion at an apartment building, in Karachi, Pakistan, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ali Raza) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Most houses and apartment buildings in Karachi, like elsewhere in Pakistan, are supplied with natural gas for cooking. However, many households also rely on liquefied petroleum gas cylinders because of low natural gas pressure.

In July, a gas explosion following a wedding reception at a home in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, killed eight people, including the bride and groom. The blast occurred as guests had gathered to celebrate the couple, authorities said.