RAWALPINDI: A huge fire broke out at a textile factory in the Industrial Estate of Rawat on Monday, causing extensive property damage and sparking panic in the area.

Up to 45 firefighters, along with 13 emergency vehicles, struggled to control the fire, which was initially declared a second-degree blaze.

Fire services from Bahria Town and Islamabad, along with Wasa Rawalpindi, were also called in to assist the firefighting operation, which continued after sunset.

Huge plumes of thick black smoke billowed over the industrial area and could be seen from miles away. There were no reports of injuries as no one was inside the factory when the fire broke out, a rescue official said.

The cause of the fire had yet to be established, as it was too early to determine; however, fire investigators and rescuers were present at the scene.

An eyewitness, identified as Yasir, told Dawn that the fire was so intense that firefighters were struggling to control it despite efforts lasting more than three hours.

He said there were no fire hydrants at the factory, forcing emergency vehicles to travel miles to fetch water. “I can hear loud explosions coming from inside the factory,” he added.

According to Rescue 1122, the fire broke out at the textile factory at around 4:30pm and continued until 8 pm.

Shortly after the blaze erupted, district firefighting teams were dispatched to the site.

A rescue official said more than 50 firefighters were engaged in tackling the blaze, which was taking many hours to contain.

The factory measures about 75 by 150 feet, the fire service said, describing the incident as “large-scale”.

By 8:15 pm, the fire had been brought 30 per cent under control, as firefighters continued efforts to fully extinguish it.

The Wasa deployed 15 of its water tankers, along with 10 private tankers, to ensure an uninterrupted water supply at the Rawat Industrial Estate.

Wasa Managing Director Saleem Ashraf said all available Wasa resources were being fully utilised to control the fire. He added that he was directly supervising the operation and fully cooperating with rescue agencies.

He said there was no interruption in the water supply for firefighting and that Wasa Rawalpindi remained active in protecting the lives and property of citizens.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2026