KARACHI: A huge fire that broke out in a foam-manufacturing factory located in Pak Colony on Friday afternoon was controlled by over one-dozen fire engines after hectic efforts lasting for several hours, said police and fire brigade.

Thick smoke emanating from the fire engulfed the area, causing breathing problems for residents.

The officials said the fire erupted in the factory in Lashari Mohalla of Jehanabad at around 2.20pm. Seeing the ferocity of the blaze, the firefighters declared it a third-degree fire and more fire engines were called in from across the metropolis to control it.

Chief Fire Officer Mubeen Ahmed said that it was a foam and mattress manufacturing factory adjacent to a clothes warehouse situated in a congested neighbourhood.

As the fire was sweeping towards the clothes warehouse, the firemen cut it off to stop it from further spreading.

“There were no arrangements of firefighting besides roads/streets were highly congested, which caused difficulties in controlling it,” said Mr Ahmed.

He added over one-dozen fire engines and equal number of water bowsers of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board were used to control the fire.

However, the fire was brought under control and cooling work was under way till late evening.

About the cause, the chief fire officer said that the lack of fire safety measures was the main reason of fire in industrial units.

Estimation of financial losses could not be made yet. Keamari-SSP Fida Husain Janwari said that they had got the industrial unit vacated and no one was hurt.

The officer said they were waiting for the firemen’s report to proceed legally.

However, an Edhi Foundation spokesperson said that 22-year-old Bilal became fainted after breathing smoke and hit his head to a wall.

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2022