Gas Leak Kills Three Women in Rawalpindi Apartment, Fourth Hospitalised

RAWALPINDI - Three women were found dead and a fourth was left fighting for her life after a suspected gas leak filled a residential apartment in Bahria Town Phase-VII on Tuesday, police and rescue officials confirmed.

According to Rescue 1122, emergency teams rushed to the flat after neighbours reported a strong gas smell coming from inside the apartment. Two ambulances and a rescue vehicle were dispatched, but by the time responders forced entry, three women had already succumbed to suffocation. A 23-year-old woman was discovered unconscious and shifted to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

Police identified the deceased as Zeba, 70, Zeenat, 60, and Fatima, 45. Sub-Inspector Imtiaz Nazir of Rawat police station told Dawn that the victims showed no signs of burns or blast injuries, ruling out an explosion. “It was suffocation due to accumulated gas,” he said.

Initial investigations suggest the leak originated from an instant gas geyser installed on the apartment’s balcony. The Express Tribune reported that poor ventilation may have caused gas to build up inside the flat, cutting off oxygen supply overnight.

Officials said the incident likely occurred while the occupants were asleep, leaving them little chance to escape. Forensic teams later collected evidence from the site to determine whether faulty installation or equipment failure was responsible.

Emergency officials warned that such incidents spike during winter as households rely heavily on gas heaters, stoves and geysers. District Emergency Officer Sibghatullah told Dawn that even small leaks can turn fatal if left undetected. “If gas is smelled, do not turn on lights or electrical switches. Open doors and windows immediately and evacuate,” he advised.

The tragedy adds to growing concerns over domestic gas safety, following a recent gas cylinder blast in Islamabad that killed eight people and injured more than a dozen.

Police said a formal inquiry is underway, while residents of the area expressed fear over unchecked gas installations in apartment buildings.

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