Death Toll In Pakistani Ship-Breaking Fire Rises To 17

Pakistani security officials carry the body of one of the victims killed after an explosion at the Gadani ship-breaking yard on November 1.

The death toll from a fire at a facility where large sea vessels are dismantled in southern Pakistan has risen to 17.

Officials said the explosion of a gas cylinder caused a huge fire on a disused oil tanker at the Gadani ship-breaking yard on November 1 while about 100 workers were dismantling the ship.

Officials said more than 50 workers were being treated for burns.

At least 30 workers at the facility are reportedly still missing.

The Gadani ship-breaking yard, which stretches along 10 kilometers of Pakistan’s coast, is located about 60 kilometers northwest of Karachi.

It is the third-largest ship-breaking facility in the world and employs more than 6,000 people.

Based on reporting by Dawn and dpa