Islamabad, December 2, 2025: At least seven people were injured on Tuesday after a gas leak triggered an explosion inside the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) in Islamabad, police and rescue officials said.
Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IG) Ali Nasir Rizvi, while speaking to the media at the site, confirmed that the blast occurred around 4pm due to accumulated gas ignited by a short circuit.
“When summer ends, the university turns off its gas connection. They turned it on at 3:30pm, but there was an accumulation of gas and a short circuit somewhere,” IG Rizvi said. “A gas leakage caused the explosion.”
According to the IG, the explosion took place in a prayer room adjacent to a clerk’s office, where seven individuals — including five students, a clerk, and a junior assistant — were present at the time.
The clerk sustained 60–65% burn injuries, while the junior assistant was also burned. The five students received minor burn injuries.
“Seven people are under treatment; six are out of danger as per the hospital,” IG Rizvi confirmed.
Multiple law enforcement teams — including Operations, Investigations, Special Branch, and the Counter-Terrorism Department — immediately reached the scene.
“We have examined the scene thoroughly and have ruled out the use of explosives,” the IG said. “No traces have been found. This explosion was caused by a gas leakage and a short circuit.”
Authorities invoked SOPs to shut down all gas connections and instructed NUML’s management to inspect the entire gas pipeline network. They were also asked to assess the structural stability of the affected building.
Rescue 1122 control-in-charge Subhan told media that the first emergency call was received at 4:06pm. The administration later confirmed it was caused by a gas leak or a cylinder-related issue.
Emergency teams brought the fire under control shortly after arrival. Officials said the damage was confined to a single room, with no impact on the rest of the building.
Videos from the campus showed students rushing out of the university premises as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze. Several bystanders were seen aiding an injured victim lying on the ground.
Established as the National Institute of Modern Languages, the institute was upgraded to a university in 2002 and offers a wide range of undergraduate to PhD-level programs.
Authorities continue to investigate whether any negligence contributed to the incident.
