Fire at Karachi's multiple factories doused after 18 hours

A fire that engulfed three factories in the Landhi Export Processing Zone on Sunday was extinguished after an 18-hour-long operation by fire-fighters on Monday.

A cardboard factory in the export processing zone had caught fire on Sunday evening, quickly spreading to two other factories as well and gutting goods and machinery worth millions of rupees. No casualties were reported.

According to fire department officials, the blaze had weakened the structures of the buildings, leaving them at risk of collapse. Keeping the threat in view, the fire-fighting operation, which involved 15 fire tenders, a snorkel and a water tanker, was carried out with great care.

Landhi Export Processing Zone spokesperson Malik Abdul Aziz said the fire had been completely doused and the cooling process was underway. He added that the two factories to which the blaze had spread manufactured cloth and plastic.

Taking notice of the incident, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah constituted a five-member committee, headed by the Malir deputy commissioner and comprising the chief fire officer, Malir SSP and others, to investigate the blaze.

The committee has been directed to present a report in two weeks. Initial investigations suggested that the flames had erupted due to a short circuit.