KARACHI, April 14: The City Nazim, Niamatullah Khan, has appealed to philanthropists as well as some private banks to help the city government in establishing fire stations and acquiring a snorkel. He was speaking on the occasion of a fire fighting demonstration and handing over of fire tenders in Nazimabad on Thursday. Mr Niamat said despite being a city of 15 million people, Karachi only had 20 fire stations while it needed 120.

It was impossible for the city government to set up 100 fire stations due to resource constraints, he said, calling upon philanthropists to come forward to contribute to this noble cause.

He said any newly established fire station would be named after its sponsor. He also appealed to the MCB and the HBL to donate a snorkel each.

The city nazim appreciated the fire brigade staff and said those who saved human lives deserved praise, and any amount of encouragement for them would be little.

He declared that steps would be taken for improving the fire brigade department. He invited departmental proposals in this regard.

The District Officer Fire Brigade, Shoaib Waqar, on the occasion said that his department saved the lives of others by putting their own at stake, adding that people were being served through this department despite resource problems.

The Chief Fire Officer, Kazim Ali, said some 1,200 to 2,000 gallons water could be stored in a fire tender. About 1,200 gallons were consumed by a tender in five minutes and 2,000 gallons in 10 minutes.

The city nazim also handed over the keys of two fire tenders to the chief fire officer.—APP