At least seven injured as fire engulfs factory in Karachi's Landhi

• Factory workers sustain injuries when part of building collapses.
• Sindh CM takes notice of factory fire incident and orders inquiry.
• "Protection of human life should be given top priority," he says.

KARACHI: Fire engulfed a factory in Karachi Export Processing Zone (KEPZ) in Landhi, leaving at least seven people injured, officials said on Thursday.

The officials said factory building collapsed due to the blaze with rescue efforts underway.

The fire, which broke out at a garment factory, has been burning for over four hours, despite the efforts of fire brigade officials to extinguish it. More fire tenders were called in to extinguish the fire, according to fire brigade officials.

Currently, 12 fire tenders and two snorkels were deployed to tackle the blaze. The officials said that workers in the basement of the affected factory had been evacuated.

In order to avoid any untoward incident, buildings adjacent to the fire-hit factory were also evacuated, they added.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah took notice of the incident and directed the fire brigade and rescue officials to take immediate steps to extinguish the blaze.

“Protection of human life should be given top priority,” he added.  

The chief minister ordered the Karachi commissioner to launch an inquiry into the incident. He said that the factory owners and workers should be fully supported.

He said that a large number of workers were present in the factory when the fire broke out.

Rescue-1122 Chief Operating Officer Dr Abid Jilal claimed that there were 1,200 to 1,500 people in the factory when the fire broke out.

Chief Fire Officer, Muhammad Humayun said that the fire erupted on the first floor of the factory, which engulfed four other factories too. He maintained that second-hand clothes were recycled in the factory, adding that chemicals were also present there, which increased the intensity of the fire.

The cause of the fire was yet to be known, he added.

The fire officer said that there is no information about the presence of anyone in the factory, adding that it may take three to four days to remove the debris of the building.

“Forms were sent to the factories for a survey, but they have not been returned to us yet,” he added.

Fire incidents are common in the port city, largely due to a lack of proper fire safety measures in buildings.

In June, at least five firefighters were injured while trying to extinguish the raging fire which broke out at a factory in Karachi’s Landhi Export Processing Zone.