KARACHI: Chemical experts have found traces of petroleum hydrocarbon in the samples of material collected from the Mehran Town factory, where a fire broke out in August and killed 16 workers.

This was disclosed in a report compiled by the Industrial Analytical Center of the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) of the University of Karachi. The report was submitted in court of Judicial Magistrate (East) Sher Muhammad Kolachi.

The report, a copy of which is available with Dawn, stated that police investigator had collected around nine bags of evidence from the ill-fated factory, including the wall paint, burnt pieces of board, ash taken from Juki machine, burnt electric board and socket, electric wires, burnt pieces of plastic bags, electric circuit and power supply.

The investigators also submitted samples including the nasal swab and pieces of clothes of the deceased factory workers.

The laboratory report suggested that chemical procedure of gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, (GC&MS) with headspace techniques were performed to analyse the provided samples.

IO says petroleum hydrocarbon was found probably in the glue used in leather factory

“Traces of petroleum hydrocarbons are found in the provided articles, all the 12 samples collected from the gutted industrial unit,” the report concluded.

The investigating officer of the case, Sub-inspector Izzat Khan, when contacted, opined that the petroleum hydrocarbon could probably be found from the ‘Samadbond’ glue or other such material used as sticking agent for leather pieces in the manufacturing of products at the factory.

Supplementary charge sheet filed

The IO charge-sheeted the detained suspects — including factory owner Hassan Meetha alias Ali Meetha, owner of its building Faisal Tariq, its manager Syed Imran Ali Zaidi, supervisors Zafar Ali and Farrukh Ahmed alias Rehan and a watchman — for allegedly committing the offence punishable under Sections 322 (manslaughter), 109 (abetment) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code since they were aware that the industrial unit was being run in a residential structure without proper legal authorisation, emergency equipment and emergency exits.

He also charge-sheeted some key officers of civic agencies and utilities — the general manager and head of new connections of the K-Electric, Karachi Devel­op­ment Authority’s Assistant Director Syed Irfan Hussain and Executive Engineer Zahid Hussain, Civil Defence Department’s deputy controller Shahabuddin, Sindh Environ­mental Protection Agency’s deputy director Muhammad Kamran Khan, Fire Brigade’s officer in charge Ishtiaq Ahmed, Shahabuddin, Sindh Building Control Authority’s assistant director Khawar Hayat, Senior Buildings Inspector Salman Shahid, the administrator and deputy commissioner of Korangi.

He stated that the 600-square-yards plot was allotted by the KDA to Overseas Pakistanis.

He said officials of the power utility, buildings regulator and district administration failed to take action against the owner of the factory and its building, who were allegedly illegally using the premises for commercial purposes.

He pointed out that the nominated officials of the Fire Brigade and SBCA failed to carry out inspection of the subject factory to ensure availability of emergency exits, fire-fighting equipment and training for workers.

The IO stated that according to the statements of witnesses, watchman Zarin Khan was present outside the factory when the fire broke out, but he deliberately did not let in the outsiders to rescue the workers. The watchman also did not give keys of the only exit of the factory to rescue the workers.

In the charge sheet, the IO alleged that KE officials approved provision of one commercial and one industrial connection to M/s BM Luggage in violation of relevant laws without proper verification and completion of other legal formalities.

The IO stated: “The negligence and carelessness on part of the owners of the factory, its building, its management as well as the top officials of the civic agencies and utilities led to the death of 16 workers.”

A case was registered under Sections 322 (manslaughter) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Korangi Industrial Area police station.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2021