At least 25 people were injured, some critically, following a powerful explosion at a fireworks storage facility in Karachi, Pakistan, on Thursday. According to police and hospital officials, the blast occurred in the southern port city, triggering panic among residents.

Television footage showed thick plumes of smoke rising from the building where firecrackers were stored, while shattered glass from nearby shops scattered across Jinnah Road. Several shops and vehicles were also damaged in the incident. Firefighters battled the flames as ambulances rushed the injured, including pedestrians, to multiple hospitals. Senior police official Asad Raza confirmed the injuries and said the cause of the explosion remains unclear.

Explosions at fireworks facilities are not uncommon in Pakistan; earlier in January, a similar blast at a storage site in Mandi Bahauddin claimed six lives.