Blaze: Five injured in yet another shanty town fire

KARACHI:

At least five people sustained burn injuries while nearly 100 makeshift huts were reduced to ashes when a fire broke out in a shanty town in Mehmoodabad on Thursday.

The fire quickly engulfed at least 100 shanties in the katchi abadi in Junejo Town, Mehmoodabad. At least five people, including three children, suffered burns during the fire. The injured were later shifted to the Burns Ward of the Civil Hospital, Karachi.

Firefighters immediately reached the site and participated in the rescue operation. A fire brigade spokesperson said that initially, three fire tenders were dispatched to the site and two more fire tenders were sent later. He said that they managed to control the blaze after hectic efforts of at least four hours. He added that the cause of the fire has yet to be ascertained. Police officials said that while the fire erupted accidently, a case will be registered if any criminal act is found during investigations.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th, 2015.