A devastating fire ripped through a garment factory in the New Karachi Industrial Area early Tuesday morning, causing the multi-storey structure to collapse and leaving five people injured, including a senior officer of the KMC Fire Brigade. The blaze quickly spread to two nearby factories, causing financial losses estimated in the tens of millions of rupees.
The affected factory, Al-Zaib Garments, was located near Saadat Hotel in Sector 8. The fire reportedly erupted on the ground floor and quickly engulfed the upper levels of the ground-plus-two-storey building. Flames shot high into the sky, accompanied by thick plumes of black smoke visible from miles away.
The intensity of the inferno led to the flames spreading to two adjacent industrial units — the Gujarat Yarn Dyeing Factory and Double A Enterprises Towel Factory, situated behind Al-Zaib Garments. Firefighters from KMC and Rescue 1122 worked for hours to douse the blaze.
According to officials, more than 15 fire tenders, along with a snorkel and water bowsers, were deployed to battle the conflagration. Despite their efforts, at around 11:30 am, the garment factory collapsed with a loud explosion, sending shockwaves through the industrial area and triggering panic among workers and onlookers.
Five people were injured in the collapse, including Buland Iqbal, Fire Station Officer, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Hawaldar Ismail, Aslam ,Owais, Zeeshan Marghoob, a cameraman from a private news channel. All injured were rescued from the debris and rushed to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital via Chhipa Ambulance. Their condition is stated to be out of danger.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Chief Fire Officer Humayun Khan confirmed that the fire broke out before 7am. Although the fire in the two adjacent factories was brought under control relatively quickly, small pockets of fire remain buried under the debris of the collapsed building and are being extinguished manually.
"We have deployed nine fire tenders, two bowsers, and one snorkel. Cracks have appeared in the structures of the adjacent factories, making them unsafe. Cooling efforts may take another two to three days," he added.
The SBCA is expected to inspect the structural integrity of the affected factories, while the cause of the fire and a comprehensive damage assessment will be detailed in the final report.
In a statement, Rescue 1122 confirmed that their team, along with one ambulance and five fire trucks, reached the location immediately after receiving the alert. The site was soon swarming with emergency responders and district officials.
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