Blaze in Karachi's Baldia area extinguished after 21 hours

Two killed, six injured in separate fires across metropolis in five days

KARACHI:

Multiple fires were reported across Karachi in the past five days, claiming at least two lives and injuring six children. The most furious blaze erupted in a warehouse in Baldia's Moach Goth on Thursday night, with the extinguishing operation continuing well into Friday.

The flames were doused late on Friday afternoon in Baldia, leaving the warehouse completely destroyed. The fire was likely caused by human negligence, said Fire Officer Zafar Khan, adding that thankfully there were no casualties.

It took five fire tenders, two water bowsers, and one Rescue 1122 fire truck to extinguish the blaze.

Khan told The Express Tribune that the warehouse spanned over two acres of land and was surrounded by boundary walls. The firefighters had to break through the front wall to enter the premises and extinguish the flames, he said.

Firefighters struggled given thick plumes of smoke and shortage of water. “If water supply resumes promptly, cooling could be completed soon. Otherwise, it may take another 24 to 36 hours,” said Khan.

Children’s van catches fire

A major tragedy was avoided on Monday when a children’s school van caught fire in Nazimabad, moments before it departed. 

Children in the van were rushed out by the driver and locals present at the scene, however six of them sustained burns. They were rushed to the hospital and then shifted to the Civil Hospital’s Burns Ward. 

The blaze reportedly ignited due to a short circuit or a petrol leak from a temporarily fitted can in the front seat.  

Read: Six children injured as school van bursts into flames in Karachi

Shanty town, factories in flames

Makeshift huts in Shanti Nagar, near Gulshan-e-Iqbal, caught on fire, resulting in the death of a 55-year-old specially-abled man, identified as Ayub.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Rafiq, 50, was engulfed by flames that broke out in bushes near Gulshan-e-Noor. His death was confirmed on Friday.

Other fires broke out in separate factories on Hub Chowki Road and Ahsanabad in SITE Area. They were promptly extinguished by fire and rescue officials.

A food factory caught ablaze in SITE Superhighway Industrial Area. A fire tender overturned during the extinguishing operation, injuring three Rescue 1122 personnel, including the driver.

In yet another instance, a plastics warehouse on the Northern Bypass caught fire on Wednesday night. The blaze was controlled by Thursday afternoon.

Boats near the Keamari Fish Market were also saved from complete incineration, as was Dilpasanad Sweets on MA Jinnah Road, after a fire ignited in the shop’s basement, due to prompt action by fire brigade officials.