IT is a miracle that only one life was lost in the multiple fire incidents in Karachi on Friday and Sunday. Fires broke out at four separate spots in the city — in the SITE area, Gulbai, Hawkesbay and Clifton — and in the case of the Gulbai blaze it took firefighters hours to contain the inferno. Clearly, the blazes posed a considerable challenge to the KMC’s ill-prepared fire brigade, as the civic body had to call in reinforcements from other departments. Fires in Karachi are not uncommon and the city has witnessed some deadly infernos in the past, most tragically the Baldia factory disaster of 2012. These incidents point to the fact that this megacity is largely unprepared to deal with emergency situations, particularly large fires. For example, there were reports that firefighters were short of water while battling the blazes on Friday. Also, it is unfortunate that in this city of millions there is no proper fire hydrant system. Moreover, Karachi has just over 30 fire tenders, whereas experts say it should have 10 times that number. It has also been pointed out that in some new constructions fire safety measures have been overlooked.

By ignoring fire safety measures, we are only paving the way for disaster. As part of a larger emergency response mechanism, Karachi needs a well-equipped, well-trained fire brigade. For example, timing is essential in controlling blazes, which is why it is key that there must be an adequate number of fire stations in the city so that fire tenders are able to arrive at the scene within minutes of a blaze being reported. Firefighters must also be trained in dealing with different types of blazes, eg where to use water, where to use foam etc. There should also be fire drills in public buildings at regular intervals, while new projects — particularly high-rises and apartment blocks — must have clearly defined fire exits and modern firefighting systems. These measures can only be enacted by an empowered city administration that is familiar with the contours and layout of Karachi, and has the funds to upgrade emergency services.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2016