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KARACHI: At least 15 factory workers died and two members of a fire fighting team injured after a blaze erupted in a chemical factory in Karachi’s Mehran Town area on Friday, police and rescue officials said.
Soon after, fire brigade officials declared the blaze to be a third-degree fire. The bodies of 15 labourers have been retrieved from inside the building so far while several people were still trapped inside the factory.
According to a spokesman for the Pakistan Rangers (Sindh), the area had been cordoned off and Rangers personnel were engaged in relief efforts with rescue teams.
The spokesperson said that the fire had occurred at a chemical factory in Mehran Town, adding that the blaze was now under control and rescue efforts were underway.
Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) Additional Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said that 13 bodies had been brought to the hospital so far, adding that more were expected.
According to police officials, an Edhi volunteer also sustained injuries while trying to extinguish the fire. The injured were also taken to JPMC.
Meanwhile, Chief Fire Officer Mubeen Ahmed told a private news channel that 13 fire tenders and a snorkel were being used to put out the blaze. He said a rescue vehicle and water board tanker were also present on the scene.
“There is only one way to enter the factory,” the chief fire officer said, explaining that the roof of the factory was also locked, making it difficult for the labourers to escape. “The fire has been brought under control and the cooling process is underway,” he added.
Sindh CM takes notice
Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has taken notice of the incident and directed the Karachi commissioner and the labour department to furnish a report. “How did the incident occur and what safety precautions were being taken,” he questioned.
Talking to journalists, Murtaza Wahab said that the fire department was alerted of the blaze at 10:09am and departed a minute later. He confirmed that the fire had been extinguished and cooling efforts were under way, adding that 21 people had been working on the factory’s first floor.
He confirmed 10 casualties and cited suffocation as the cause of death. He said that police and the fire department were investigating the incident, adding that the findings would be shared with the media.
