Fire breaks out in shopping centre

Goods worth millions of rupees destroyed

KARACHI:

A fire erupted in the basement of Nauman Centre, a shopping complex in Saddar, early Tuesday morning. The blaze destroyed goods worth millions of rupees stored in the basement warehouses, and partially damaged three vehicles, a rickshaw, and several motorcycles.

Upon receiving reports of the fire, police and Rangers personnel promptly arrived at the scene and called the fire brigade and Rescue 1122 teams for assistance. Firefighters, recognizing the severity of the situation, requested additional fire tenders, a water bowser, and a snorkel to contain the blaze.

Rescue teams, including women personnel, worked alongside firefighters to extinguish the fire. After two and a half hours of intense efforts, the flames were brought under control. However, the fire caused significant damage to property in the basement, including partial damage to the vehicles.

Chief Fire Officer Ishtiaq Ahmed, speaking to the media, confirmed that the fire brigade received the alert at 9:55 a.m. and, due to the proximity of the Saddar fire station, two fire engines arrived at the scene within a minute.

The fire originated in the building's basement, where electrical meters and panels were located. The resulting smoke made the situation more difficult, as there was limited ventilation. Firefighters, equipped with masks and oxygen cylinders, entered the smoke-filled basement to contain the blaze. The basement, which serves as both a parking lot and a warehouse for goods such as second-hand clothes (Landa), posed additional challenges for the firefighting teams. Chief Ahmed noted the absence of fire safety measures, including proper ventilation and separate exits, which contributed to the delay in bringing the fire under control.