KARACHI:
A fire broke out early Thursday morning at a five-storey factory dealing in second-hand clothes within the Landhi Export Processing Zone (KEPZ), causing the entire building to collapse and injuring eight people. The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment. However, there were no reported fatalities.
The fire reportedly started in the basement of the factory and rapidly spread to engulf the entire structure, eventually reaching two adjacent factories. Firefighting teams from the KMC, Rescue 1122, the Export Processing Zone, and other departments responded promptly. According to Rescue 1122 officer Yusra Ali, nine fire tenders participated in the operation.
Chief Fire Officer Humayun Khan said the fire was extremely intense due to the presence of flammable materials such as used clothing, wooden structures, and construction materials stored inside. Explosions and thick black smoke made it impossible for firefighters to enter the building. They had to fight the fire from the outside for over three hours. Ultimately, the factory collapsed completely.
Several workers, including women, were present inside the building when the fire broke out. In panic, many of them attempted to escape by using construction lifts or makeshift tools to climb down from the upper floors. Several female workers were injured in the chaos as they fled for their lives.
Chairman of the Export Processing Zone AD Khawaja said the factory had been in operation since 1980 and had been constructed with no passageways between adjacent buildings, making firetruck access impossible. He added that it was too early to assign blame for the fire and that a new fire safety mechanism would be introduced in the zone to prevent similar incidents.
Humayun Khan confirmed that the fire consumed the entire 4,000-square-yard factory. While the fire reached four nearby factories, timely intervention helped protect them from major damage.
