Fires broke out at five locations across Karachi on Thursday night and Friday.
A blaze erupted in a cloth warehouse located on the ground floor of a two-storey building in the Landhi Export Processing Zone. The roaring flames left the building derelict, leading to its collapse.
Initially, people present at the spot tried to douse the fire on their own, but given the intensity of the blaze, a fire tender was called from the export processing zone. Eventually, the fire department’s help was also sought.
Upon arrival, fire department officials declared the blaze a third-degree fire and sought fire tenders from multiple stations.
However, before they could arrive, the blaze spread and engulfed a neighbouring warehouse.
Fearing more losses, fire department and export processing zone officials sought assistance from the Pakistan Navy, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and Port Qasim Authority as well.
According to KMC chief fire officer Mubeen Ahmed, they were informed of the incident while multiple fire tenders had already been dispatched to extinguish fires elsewhere in the city.
However, one was sent to Landhi Export Processing Zone as early as possible and the blaze was extinguished after nine hours, he said. The cause of the fire couldn’t be determined till the filing of this report.
Ahmed attributed the increase in fires erupting in the city to dry weather.
Later, Landhi Export Processing Zone public relations officer Malik Aziz told the media that the fire had erupted at Galaxy Cloth House, adding that the flames spread to engulf a warehouse due to strong winds.
According to Aziz, goods worth thousands of rupees inside the warehouse have been reduced to ashes.
Separately, flames erupted at Uni Plaza on II Chundrigar Road the same night, gutting goods worth thousands of rupees.
The fire erupted in a computer shop and soon spread to engulf others.
One fire tender from the Karachi Port Trust and five from the fire department participated in the extinguishing operation, said fire officials, adding that water tankers were also needed.
According to the fire department, the blaze was doused within an hour.
Meanwhile, three fire tenders attempted to extinguish flames at a potato chips’ manufacturing unit, which also housed a warehouse, in Jhat Pat Market, Chakiwara.
Soon after, a truck and a car parked outside the unit also caught fire. The extinguishing operation was underway till the filing of this report.
According to fire department officials, there were other food items besides potato chips and heavy machinery in the warehouse, all of which was burnt to ashes.
In the meantime, a cloth warehouse caught fire in Sher Shah. While just one fire tender was initially sent to douse the flames, another soon had to be called.
The fire was extinguished after an hour.
Fire department officials said the blaze had erupted due to short-circuit, affecting just one room in the warehouse.
Moreover, a fire erupted in a house in Shah Latif Town. The residents were quickly evacuated and a fire tender reached the site to douse the blaze. Fire department officials said all items inside the house were gutted in the incident.
No casualties were reported in any of the incidents.
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