February 08, 2008	Friday	Muharram 29, 1429

KARACHI, Feb 7: Three factory fires that devoured goods and property of million of rupees on Thursday kept the fire-fighters busy all day long. However, no one was injured in the incidents.

While the firemen were still spraying water to cool the smoldering debris at a textile mill in Korangi and a chemical factory in Landhi, at least 10 fire engines were pressed service to contain a huge fire which broke out at a towel factory in Site.

Thousands of people surrounded Novatex, a manufacturing unit of raw material used in plastic products, where a fire had broken out around 11.50am. A few miles away in Korangi, another crowd saw flames leaping out of International Textile mills at around 12.05pm.

Residents of Landhi and Korangi said panic gripped them when they saw clouds of thick black smoke billowing from two different directions.

Chief fireman Ehtesham Khan told Dawn that both the fires were completely contained after nearly five-hour operations. Three snorkels were also used in the firefighting operation. “A few people trapped in Landhi fire were rescued by a snorkel,” he said, adding that firemen were still making efforts to extinguish the towel factory inferno in Site.