KARACHI, March 20: More than 200 buffaloes were killed on Thursday when a fire swept through wooden sheds at a farm in Cattle Colony in Landhi.

According to eyewitnesses, the fire erupted at around 3.30pm when one of the farms in the colony caught fire from the smoldering dung cakes and straws burnt to repel insects particularly Tsetse flies known among the farmers as sea flies .

“Tsetse flies are a major irritant for dairy farmers whose farms are located close to the coast. Feeding on the blood of animals, these large biting flies affect the productivity of the cattle. Their outbreak occurs twice a year at Cattle Colony. In an attempt to minimize their losses caused by these flies, farmers usually collect firewood, straws and dung cakes and light small fires in their sheds. The smoke keeps these flies off the animals,” said Dr Hafeez Shaikh, official in charge of the Government Veterinary Hospital in Landhi.

Four farms on Road 7 of the Cattle Colony were completely destroyed in the blaze.

“We have counted more than 200 buffaloes so far. They were killed in the fire,” said Shaukat Mukhtar, joint secretary of the Karachi Dairy Farmers Association. However, Dr Shaikh puts the death toll at 137.

“Fire tenders reached almost an hour after the incident, as the nearest fire station is situated miles away from the colony,” he said.

Meanwhile, a fire department official said that four tenders reached the site and put off the fire after an hour-long operation.

He said that fires in these types of structures always seem big but requires much less effort to control as compared to other buildings or places.

The dairy farmers deplored that despite several incidents during the last few years, the relevant authorities had so far not initiated any project to establish a fire station in the area.

Mr Mukhtar said that the indifference of the authorities was beyond the comprehension of the farmers. “We pay millions in taxes but get no facility in return”, he said.

Sources said the farmers affected by the blaze included Major Shahid Mehmood (on whose farm the fire broke out), Ayub Dar, Anwar Ditta, and Manzoor.