Supreme Court explosion CCTV footage emerges as youth succumbs to burn injuries

ISLAMABAD: A 19-year-old youth succumbed to burn injuries on Wednesday, a day after sustaining critical wounds in an explosion caused by a gas leak in the air-conditioning (AC) plant of the Supreme Court cafeteria.

At least 13 people were hurt in the blast that occurred on Tuesday. CCTV footage of the incident has now surfaced, showing maintenance workers inside the cafeteria moments before a sudden fireball erupted, followed by a powerful explosion.

The injured were shifted to the Burn Centre of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), where Asad Muneeb, who had suffered severe burns, later succumbed to his injuries.

Witnesses said Asad was in the cafeteria when the explosion occurred. The intensity of the blast shook the Supreme Court building, causing panic among lawyers, staff members, and visitors, who rushed outside for safety.

Police said the incident appeared to be accidental, resulting from a technical fault in the AC system. Rescue and security teams immediately evacuated the area, while a detailed inquiry into the cause of the explosion is underway.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the blast occurred in the central air-conditioning plant of the cafeteria during maintenance work, with a gas leak identified as the cause, investigators confirmed.