Massive blast in Pakistan - 45 killed in accident

On MSNBC crawler now. No details.

On edit:

CNN International crawler:

Explosives used for road building have detonated in a north Pakistani village, killing 45 people and injuring 150, officials say.

n/t

have suddenly 'detonated' in Pakistan recently.

If we have the right to pre-emptively attack other countries, do other countries have that right?

The argument's structure:
"_______" is a threat to the lives of our citizens. Therefore, we - the people of "_________" - have the right to attack them.

Fill in the blanks.

(edit: spelling. D'oh!)

Pakistani village blast kills 45
Sunday, August 3, 2003 Posted: 0507 GMT ( 1:07 PM HKT)

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- At least 45 people were killed when explosive materials caught fire and exploded in a northern Pakistani village, Pakistani police say.

Around 150 people have been injured in the blast, which occurred at about 2 a.m. on Sunday (2100 GMT Saturday)

Authorities say the blast in the village of Ghair was apparently caused by explosives to be used for road-construction that were stored in a contractor's home.

Investigators believe a short-circuit sparked the blaze and detonated the explosives.

http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/south/08/03/pakistan.blast/index.html

I wonder how common that is in Pakistan for a contractor to store explosives in his home ? The plan was to use them for road construction. Is the village near the Pakistani-Afghan border region?

THE EXPLOSIVES were stored in the residence of a local contractor, Waris Khan, who died in the blast in the village of Ghair early Sunday, said Hussain Khan, a police official. The blast was believed to have been accidental, he said.

The explosion happened at 2 a.m., and several homes in the village, where dwellings are clustered close together, caught fire, the policeman said. Many of the 45 dead were women and children, and police were digging through debris searching for more bodies, he said.

The home storing the explosives was made of wood, and it was believed that an electrical short circuit caused a fire in the storage area, igniting the explosives, said an Interior Ministry official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/947646.asp?0cm=c20

...current war on terror... just as an aside....

Wouldn't that be a pretty damn effective counter against terrorism if governments could 'control' the story to such a degree that they could make all terrorist attacks look convinvingly like accidents... i mean the terrorist could never successfully cause terror because it would all be just unfortunate accidents.... i am going to sleep because it is going to be like 50 or more hours since i have slept and my hands are turning black just because my vision is going out.

Last Updated: Sunday, 3 August, 2003, 14:08 GMT 15:08 UK
Massive blast 'triggered panic'

Survivors of a series explosions set off by a fire in a village in northern Pakistan have spoken of scenes of devastation.

Abdul Wahab Khan, who was injured in the blasts, said he was woken up by the noise.

"I rushed out of the house and saw people's bodies flying in the air," he said.

Another witness beat his chest in grief as he recalled how the village was destroyed.

"The whole village is in mourning. We are ruined," said Habib-ur-Rehman.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3120881.stm