At least one aged woman died while several others were reported to have fallen unconscious in different areas of Karachi's Kemari on Sunday night due to the "emission of legal gas", officials and rescue services said.
The victims were facing serious respiratory problems, Station House Officer Malik Adil Khan said.
“We are obtaining details of the incident and at this stage, nothing could be shared,” said the SHO.
Senior Superintendent of Police (City) Muqaddas Haider said that it was not known if the gas emission was caused by any chemical contained by a ship or container, adding that the “causes of the incident were being ascertained".
There were conflicting reports about the number of deaths and affected persons.
The police said that around 23 affected persons had been admitted to different hospitals, while one lady, Namaz Bibi, 60, had died during treatment.
Meanwhile, Edhi Foundation spokesperson said that at least two persons died of suffocation and around 20-25 had fallen unconscious. They had been shifted to a nearby private hospital in Karachi's Clifton area.
All patients have been restricted to one ward in the hospital due to concerns that the condition might be a virus.
Doctors and paramedical staff are taking precautionary measures, including the usage of face masks to avoid being infected.
