KARACHI: At least seven people were injured after a fire erupted at a factory in the Karachi Export Processing Zone (KEPZ), Landhi, causing the building to collapse, officials confirmed 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.
