KARACHI: Two women died and nine other people were rescued in a fire that erupted in a four-storey building in Defence Housing Authority on Saturday evening, officials said.

Rescue-1122 spokesperson Hassaan Ul Haseeb Khan told Dawn that the fire erupted in a car showroom situated on the ground floor of the residential-cum-commercial building in Phase-II and spread rapidly to other floors.

He said six fire tenders rushed to the scene and managed to control the blaze. However, cooling work continued till late in the night.

The official said that with the help of a ladder, firemen broke windows and rescued eight residents, including women, and three workers of the showroom and shifted them to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and the burns centre of the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi.

DIG-South Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that two women — identified as Syeda Shahzain Afzal, 43, and her mother-in-law Syeda Sabiha Khatoon, 70 — died during treatment at the JPMC.

The officials said that the two women, who lived in the same building, died of suffocation.

Among the injured are Syed Afaq Ali, his wife, Rafia, and their three children — Shanza, Savera and Abeeha. Their condition was said to be out of danger.

The Rescue 1122 spokesperson said the probable cause of the fire was a short circuit.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah took notice of the incident and ordered an inquiry. He also directed authorities to ensure strict implementation of fire safety arrangements in buildings.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2025