A fire that erupted on Wednesday at a restaurant in Karachi’s Do Darya area, phase 8 of the Defence Housing Authority, has been extinguished, according to a Rescue 1122 official.

The rescue agency said in a statement that the fire was brought under control, adding, “The cooling process is underway.”

Rescue-1122 official Hassaan Khan told Dawn.com that the restaurant was not operational when the fire erupted. He added that initially, two fire tenders were dispatched but “realizing the gravity of the problem, two more fire tenders were called”.

“The wooden structure of the restaurant allowed the fire to spread rapidly and remain persistent,” Khan said. “Four tenders managed to control the fire after hectic efforts, lasting for one and a half hours.

“The structure was completely destroyed. However, the exact cause of the fire could not be ascertained immediately,” he added.

Meanwhile, South Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Syed Asad Raza said that the fire broke out in an abandoned restaurant in Do Darya, adding that police immediately cordoned off the site of the incident.

“The restaurant has been closed for the last four to five years,” he told Dawn.com.

An earlier statement from the rescue agency read, “As soon as the Central Command and Control Rescue 1122 received the information, the fire and rescue team along with ambulance and fire brigade truck reached the spot,” said the statement.

Meanwhile, the Edhi Foundation said in a statement that their ambulances and rescue team were present at the scene.

Last year, a fire broke out at Karachi’s Rimpa Plaza on MA Jinnah Road, with no casualties reported.

In a statement, Rescue 1122 said its fire and rescue team — along with two ambulances, four firetrucks, and a snorkel — reached the site on December 3 as soon as they received an alert about the blaze at Rimpa Plaza.

The fire started from the fourth floor of the 13-story building, the rescue service said, adding that difficulties were being faced to douse the fire “due to improper ventilation” in the building.

After a few hours of effort, the fire was successfully extinguished.

On December 19, 2024, another fire was reported at the same building. The blaze broke out on the roof of the second floor, where disposable goods were being stored, Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaan Khan said.

He noted that gutted material, such as rubber, from the December 3 fire was stored on the second floor, which caught fire again.