Dark smoke clouds rise from a massive tyre fire in Karachi’s Mawach Goth. Photo: Express
Several major fire incidents were reported across the city over the past 48 hours, destroying goods worth millions of rupees but causing no loss of life, officials said on Friday. The most severe blaze erupted on Thursday afternoon in Mawach Goth, where a large warehouse storing old tyres caught fire and rapidly turned into a massive inferno.
According to fire department officials, strong winds and the open layout of the facility caused the flames to spread swiftly across the three-acre site, which was packed with stacked rubber tyres. Thick plumes of black smoke were visible from several kilometres away, while flames continued to rise late into the night.
Chief Fire Officer Humayun Khan said more than 12 fire tenders and water bowsers were participating in the operation. “This is an old tyre warehouse spread over more than three acres. Fires involving tyres are extremely difficult to extinguish,” he told reporters. “Fortunately, there is no residential area nearby so there is no immediate threat to the public. Water supply is being maintained, and sufficient foam is available,” he added.
Photo: Express
He added that although the fire was spreading rapidly, efforts to contain it were ongoing, and full control was expected by Friday evening.
Rescue 1122 personnel and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) teams assisted the fire brigade, demolishing parts of the warehouse walls to create access points for firefighters. Initial water shortages were resolved after coordination with the Water Corporation ensured a steady supply of tankers.
Officials confirmed that no casualties were reported in the Mawach Goth incident.
Other incidents
In a separate incident late Wednesday night, a plastic warehouse near Mai Garhi on the Northern Bypass (Manghopir) caught fire. Firefighters battled the blaze for several hours before bringing it under control by Thursday afternoon. Cooling operations continued for hours afterward. The fire destroyed a large quantity of stored plastic goods but caused no injuries.
Meanwhile, another fire broke out on Thursday at a food factory in the SITE Super Highway Industrial Area (Phase II). The blaze, which originated from a fryer machine, intensified rapidly. Fire stations in Gulshan-e-Mustafa and Gulshan-e-Maymar dispatched three fire tenders, and the fire was extinguished after an hour-long effort.
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During the response, however, a Rescue 1122 fire tender overturned near a petrol pump in Gulshan-e-Maymar, injuring three personnel identified as Hasnain (35), Rizwan (25), and Halar (24). They were shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital by Chhipa volunteers.
Fire incidents tend to increase in Karachi during the winter months due to dry weather and flammable material storage. According to statistic released by the Fire Brigade Department, there had been as many as 2,187 fire incidents in the teeming metropolis between January 1 and December 17.
