A devastating explosion at a glue factory in Faisalabad early Friday morning claimed 20 lives and left seven others injured. The blast, caused by a suspected gas leak in a large industrial steamer at Crystal Chemical Factory in Malikpur, also destroyed four nearby industrial units and nine residential houses. Victims ranged in age from just one year old to 62.
Rescue teams and police transported the deceased and injured — including three in critical condition — to the burn unit at Allied Hospital. Shortly after the incident, police forensic teams collected evidence, while factory owner Qaiser Chughtai and his staff briefly went into hiding before resurfacing.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, offering condolences to the families and ordering Commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar to submit a detailed report. A five-member inquiry committee was formed to determine responsibility and investigative direction.
Authorities Blamed for Safety Negligence
Labour rights groups sharply criticised the government, accusing officials of failing to enforce industrial safety regulations. Leaders from the National Trade Union Federation, Labour Qaumi Movement, and Haqooq-i-Khalq Party condemned the lack of oversight that allowed hazardous, flammable chemicals to be stored in the factory without proper safety measures. They claimed this negligence endangered both workers and local residents.
The FIR later confirmed that residents had repeatedly warned factory management about unsafe chemical storage practices. Despite the warnings, the management allegedly ignored safety concerns, leading to catastrophic consequences when the blast caused roofs of surrounding factories and nine houses in Shahab Town to collapse.
Arrests Made as Police Register Terrorism Case
Police arrested the factory owner, Qaiser Chughtai, and registered a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act, Pakistan Penal Code, and Explosive Substances Act. Factory manager Bilal Ali Imran, cook Khalid, and workers Zain and Atta Muhammad were also detained. Charges include murder, attempted murder, negligence, and handling explosive materials.
Among the 20 victims were seven members of the same family: Shafiq, 62; his wife Maqsooda, 55; their son Irfan; and grandchildren Muqaddas, Rehan, Muhammad Ahmed, and Azan. Another family — engineer Ashiq Hussain and his three sons Obaid, Omar, and Bilal — died when the roof of their house collapsed.
In the same street, Fakhra, 40; her one-year-old son Ali Hasnain; and daughters Maham and Jannat also lost their lives. Two brothers, Waqas and Saim, died in a nearby embroidery factory, while Fazal, a worker at the affected glue factory, also perished in the blast.
