Karachi: Police to institute high level probe on toxic gas leak

KARACHI: The police department has decided to form a high level probe committee to investigate toxic gas leak in Karachi that has claimed at least seven lives, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The inquiry committee will comprise of police officers and officials from other law enforcement agencies, according to the department sources.

The officials recording statements of the people affected by the poisonous gas, police sources said.

The investigators also contacting the families of the deceased, officials said.

The police also collecting hospital record and statements of the affected people.

The police has also contacted the Karachi University and other departments seeking their advice over the matter.

Karachi’s Jinnah Hospital has released a list of 33 patients affected by toxic gas, admitted at the hospital within last two days.

“The patients brought to the hospital from Keamari area, were discharged after providing medical aid,” the hospital administration said in a statement.

The government agencies investigators after holding joint inspection of the affected areas in the city on Monday night, reportedly found clues of the discharge of toxic gas from a cargo ship docked at the Karachi Port, sources revealed.

Heavy contingents of law enforcement agencies including Rangers deployed on the entrance and exit routes of the affected areas. Rescue and security teams have distributed face masks among the citizens.

Commissioner Karachi told media that a cargo vessel had transported some goods to Karachi Port Trust (KPT) from where the gas leakage spotted after inspection. The KPT administration has been ordered to halt off-loading of containers from the ship, he added.

In his media briefing, the commissioner said the gas spread was stopped when the ship doors were closed, whereas, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has directed the authorities to inspect all items loaded in the containers.

Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah said it is necessary to check air quality to spot the source of the hazardous gas. He added that Pakistan Army is assisting the authorities to check the air quality of the affected sites, whereas, the experts from Suparco [Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission] have also collected samples to investigate into the matter.

Death toll in the gas leakage has surged to seven as one more person died at midnight on Monday.

At least 220 people have thus far been suffering from the poisonous gas and have been hospitalised since Sunday.