KARACHI: Two workers suffocated in the Quaidabad area factory blaze that erupted on Saturday and continued into Sunday morning, police officials said.

The bodies of Abdul Qayyum, 55, and Mohammed Ashraf, 42, were found on the third floor of the Lasania factory, where the fire broke out on Saturday noon and was put out by the early hours of Sunday, said Quaidabad SHO Amanullah Marwat.

The bodies were shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where doctors said they had died from suffocation.

Abdul Qayyum, a watchman, was a disabled person while Ashraf was stated to be supervisor who had rushed into the burning building to rescue Qayyum but both died from inhaling smoke, said a police officer.

Fire brigade chief Ihtishamuddin told Dawn the factory management retrieved the bodies late on Saturday night and did not inform them. The third floor, where the fire broke out, was used as a store for cloth and other material with lots of plastic goods due to which the fire spread rapidly, he said.

“There was no access through which the fire tenders could enter and control the blaze,” said the fire brigade chief. They faced hurdles in their work as there was thick smoke and heat. There was only one window but it opened just a vent through which water could not enter. So, they broke it to be able to extinguish the fire. No fire safety measures were taken in the factory, said the fire chief.

The fire caused immense hardships for the people living in the surrounding areas of the factory located on the main road leading to Daud Chowrangi.

The fire chief said the blaze, which erupted at around 2pm on Saturday was controlled after hectic efforts at around 2am. Around 40 fire tenders took part in the effort.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2014