KARACHI/ LAHORE: A fire broke out early in the morning in a factory near Bhains Colony in Karachi on Saturday.
The apparel recycling factory located in Karachi Export Processing Zone sustained a third-degree fire, however, no casualties were reported.
According to fire brigade officials, 13 fire tenders, two water bowsers, one snorkel, and one fire tender were deployed to extinguish the fire.
Earlier on March 11, a fire that broke out in a garment factory in Landhi Industrial area was extinguished after an 18-hour-long rescue operation.
Meanwhile a fire in Lahore’s famous Anarkali Bazaar in the early hours of Saturday, reduced at least 15 shops to ashes, rescue officials said.
The fire, which broke out at 2am, engulfed six buildings of the market.
Firefighters were able to contain most of the blaze after nearly seven hours.
An electrical short circuit in one of the buildings was the likely cause of fire in the bazaar where decoration paraphernalia such as firecrackers and aerosol sprays are sold. Traders claimed they had incurred losses of tens of millions of rupees.
A district officer of Rescue 1122 said the entrance to one of the burning buildings was narrow, making the fire fighting process difficult. He said no fire extinguishing equipment was present in the building.
He told that a large amount of firecrackers and decorative material used in functions was stored in the shops and godowns.
According to rescue sources, two people injured have been shifted to a nearby hospital immediately, further adding that the fire occurred in a plaza of Guddi Bazar at Ganpat road, later it spread out to surrounding warehouses and seven nearby buildings.
As many as 10 fire brigade vans of rescue 1122 and local district administration are being used to douse off fire, however even after five hours the personnel has not been able to extinguish it. The local administration has suspended power supply in the area to avoid any unforeseen incident.—INP
