MULTAN, Pakistan — A tragic incident occurred overnight in central Pakistan when a truck transporting liquefied petroleum gas ignited and exploded, resulting in the deaths of five individuals and injuring over twenty others, authorities reported on Monday.

The explosion took place in Multan, located in the eastern Punjab province, and it inflicted considerable damage to nearby homes and businesses. According to rescue official Mohammad Bilal, the fatalities were primarily due to the fire and the collapse of rooftops from nearby structures.

Firefighting teams were able to bring the fire under control, and investigations are now underway to ascertain the cause of the gas leak from the truck that led to this devastating explosion.