A GAS explosion ripped through an apartment building in Pakistan’s largest port city of Karachi today, killing at least 16 and injuring several after part of the structure collapsed.

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 Sindh’s provincial capital Karachi, local police chief Rizwan Patel said. 

Rescuers were still removing rubble to search for any survivors trapped under the debris, he added.

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

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari expressed sorrow and condolences to the victims’ families, directing authorities to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured. 

He also called for a swift completion of rescue operations, urging the Sindh provincial government to enforce building codes, check gas cylinder safety and conduct a thorough inquiry to help prevent similar incidents.

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.