Fire in Karachi timber market extinguished after 10 hours

PM Nawaz directs Sindh government to take steps to ensure such incidents are avoided at all costs

KARACHI: Expressing grief over the loss caused by a fire in Karachi's timber market, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday directed Sindh government and other concerned departments to take steps to ensure such incidents are avoided at all costs.

The fire erupted in the market near Old Haji Camp and was extinguished by a multitude of fire tenders after 10 hours, Express News reported.

The fire engulfed a number of warehouses and residential buildings, destroying material worth millions of rupees.

MQM leader Farooq Sattar visited the site and criticised the concerned authorities for not bringing the fire under control on time.

Initially, three fire tenders were dispatched to the timber market to tackle the blaze, but it soon spread to nearby apartment complexes, forcing people out of the houses.

Chief Fire Officer Ehtishamuddin said that the fire alert was raised to a category three (highest degree of fire) and more tenders from across the city were called in.

Express News correspondent Zohaib Jiyeja said that the fire reportedly broke out in a small warehouse located in the market. Residents first tried to put out the blaze themselves, but when they were unable to do so, they sought help.

Residents had complained that officials were not cooperating with them and that slow response of the fire department allowed the fire to spread. They further said that fire fighters were only using water instead of chemical reagents to quickly put the fire out.

They feared that the intensity of the blaze may cause their houses to collapse.

The fire also caused power outage in the area.