KARACHI, June 9: The fire brigade department will start using a newly-inducted snorkel, capable of fighting fires in 16-storey buildings, as the first batch of firefighters completed operational training on Saturday.

EDO Municipal Services Masood Alam told Dawn that a two-member team from Finland had arrived six days back to train the fire brigade officials to operate the snorkel.

The trainers were scheduled to visit Karachi in May, but they postponed the visit following a travel advisory issued by the Finnish government for its citizens intending to visit Pakistan after May 12.