Newlyweds Among 8 Killed in Gas Cylinder Explosion Hours After Wedding

A newlywed couple in Pakistan’s capital were still celebrating the start of their life together when their wedding festivities ended in devastating tragedy.

In the early hours of Sunday, January 11, at least eight people—including the bride and groom—were killed when a gas cylinder exploded inside a home in Islamabad, according to reports from ABC News and the BBC. Islamabad Police also confirmed the deadly blast in a statement shared on Facebook.

Relatives and guests who had gathered to celebrate the wedding were asleep inside the residence when the explosion ripped through the building. The groom’s father told the BBC that family members had gone to bed following the celebrations, only for the night to turn catastrophic hours later.

The powerful blast caused part of the house—including sections of the roof and walls—to collapse. Three nearby homes were also damaged, turning a quiet residential neighborhood into a scene of chaos and destruction.

Emergency crews rushed to the site as first responders worked desperately to pull survivors from the rubble. Many of the injured were carried out on stretchers, while search dogs were deployed to ensure no one remained trapped beneath the debris. Authorities said those hurt received immediate medical care.

Alongside the newlyweds, at least six other people—mostly family members and wedding guests—lost their lives. More than a dozen others were injured, some seriously.

The groom’s father, identified as Hanif Masih, said guests had gone to sleep around 3 a.m. local time. The explosion reportedly occurred roughly four hours later, at around 7 a.m., shattering the home and the family’s future.

Officials told the BBC that an apparent gas leak may have caused the explosion, though the exact circumstances remain under investigation.

Pakistan’s Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani called the blast “a heart-wrenching incident that turned celebrations into mourning.” He also raised concerns about the widespread use of gas cylinders in Pakistan, where low natural gas pressure has led many households to rely on them for cooking and fuel—sometimes with fatal consequences.

“These incidents demand that relevant departments fulfil their responsibilities seriously and ensure safety measures,” Gilani said.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif also addressed the tragedy, expressing condolences to the families of the victims and praying for the recovery of the injured. In a statement posted on Facebook, he echoed calls for stronger safety precautions surrounding gas cylinder use.