'Poisonous gas' claims five lives at Karachi port, over 70 hospitalised

Five people died and more than 70 were hospitalised after a poisonous gas leak in Karachi’s port area late on Sunday evening.

Faisal Edhi of the Edhi Ambulance Service said that gas leak affected people at the Kemari port therefore 10 ambulances were sent to the port. The affected people were sent to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Jinnah Hospital. These hospitals were facing difficulties in finding space for the increasing number of affected people.

Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Ali Zaidi and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah took notice of the incident. Shah directed the hospital authorities to provide the best treatment facilities to the affected people, while Zaidi said a committee had been set up to investigate the incident.

A spokesperson for the Karachi Port Trust said there was no smell of any gas at the port. He said that all affected people were picked from the road. 

According to the DIG South, a chemical laden ship arrived at the port shortly before the incident occurred. The Kemari SP said that police and other agencies were investigating the cause of deaths.