KARACHI: A huge fire that broke out in a towel factory in the New Karachi Industrial Area on Friday morning was doused after seven hours of hectic efforts by a big team of firefighters.

One of the firemen, Amir Ahmed, fell unconscious as the team lacked adequate safety gear, according to officials.

The blaze erupted in the factory located near Saba Cinema at around 8.30am. Initially, a few fire tenders were sent to extinguish it but the number increased after the fire gradually engulfed the third floor of the industrial unit.

A fire brigade official said that seven fire tenders had to be employed to bring the blaze under control at around 4pm. He said that the condition of the affected fireman, who was under treatment at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, was out of danger.

He said that the cause of the fire was yet to be established.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2017