Explosion Kills 15 at Faisalabad Glue Factory

An explosion at a glue-making factory in the Malikpur area of Faisalabad, Pakistan, killed at least 15 people and injured seven others early Friday morning, authorities reported. The blast, which occurred around 5:28 a.m. local time, flattened the factory building and caused the collapse of nearby homes, sparking fires that spread to adjacent structures.

Preliminary investigations point to a gas leak in the factory's chemical warehouse as the trigger, according to Faisalabad Commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar. Initial reports from rescue services had suggested a boiler explosion, but officials later clarified that no boiler was present at the site, where four factories operated in close proximity. The explosion's force hurled debris across streets and damaged seven nearby houses, with rescuers spending hours sifting through rubble to recover bodies and survivors. Among the dead were both factory workers and local residents, though authorities did not specify the exact breakdown. At least six children were among the victims from adjacent homes, based on early accounts from the scene.

Rescue operations, coordinated by the emergency service Rescue 1122, involved more than 20...