Hyderabad cylinder blast deaths climb to 23 as 5 more succumb to injuries

• Five people with severe burns succumb to injuries.
• Death toll continues to rise on daily basis.
• Latest deaths come almost week after deadly blast.

HYDERABAD: Five more people injured in the deadly gas cylinder blast in Hyderabad succumbed to their wounds on Wednesday, pushing up the number of casualties from the explosion to 23.

The Hyderabad assistant commissioner confirmed the latest deaths that come almost a week after the blast in the city's densely populated area Preetabad.

The tragic explosion occurred last Thursday on May 30 at a shop of liquefied petroleum gas (LNG) cylinders, leaving two people dead on the spot and over 60 others injured.

However, the death toll continued to rise on a daily basis.

The dual explosions set the shop and other shops and houses present nearby ablaze. According to eyewitnesses, one of the fires also burned a rickshaw and injured several passers-by. People sitting in houses around the shop suffered burn injuries as well. 

Some of the injured who sustained severe burns were shifted to Karachi's Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital, while some were admitted to Civil Hospital Hyderabad and Combined Military Hospital.