Karachi residents store LPG in balloons amid shortage, 'mobile bomb' risk flagged

Residents in parts of Karachi have begun storing cooking gas in plastic balloons as prolonged gas load-shedding and low pressure continue to disrupt daily life, raising serious safety concerns, reported news agency ANI.

The practice has been reported mainly from the Orangi Town area, including Mominabad, where households say erratic supply has left them with few options to carry out basic cooking. According to local reports, residents fill specially designed plastic balloons with gas during brief windows of supply and use them later as a makeshift storage system.

The balloons, available in local markets for around Pakistani Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500, are filled when gas supply is restored for short durations. Once filled, they are disconnected and used throughout the day to meet household needs.

Residents described the method as a “last resort”, pointing to the severity of the gas crisis in the city. Many families said inconsistent supply has made it difficult to perform routine tasks such as cooking meals.

However, safety experts have warned that the practice poses extreme risks. Analysts described the gas-filled balloons as a “mobile bomb”, cautioning that even minor friction, heat exposure or a spark could trigger an explosion – particularly in densely populated neighbourhoods.

The presence of such improvised storage systems inside homes has heightened fears of fire accidents, with experts urging immediate intervention by authorities.

Analysts have called on gas utility companies and local administration to address the worsening supply situation and curb what they termed a “life-threatening” trend.

The development comes against the backdrop of broader energy supply pressures, with ongoing geopolitical tensions – including disruptions linked to the US-Iran situation – impacting global energy flows and raising concerns over key transit routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.

- Ends

With agency inputs