KARACHI: At least four people lost their lives and 13 others sustained injuries after a devastating fire broke out in a factory located in the New Karachi area of the city.
The deceased were identified as Khalid Shehzad, Mohsin Sharif, Sohail and Afzal. The fire erupted in the Usman & Sons Bedsheet Company in the New Karachi Sector 16-B, located on the Shehla Raza Road. The blaze persisted until the early hours of Thursday before the building collapsed, causing fatalities.
The blaze caused significant damage to the building, as confirmed by the local police. “Four people died while 13 injured as a building collapsed near Karachi Kanta, New Karachi Industrial Area,” a statement from the district central police spokesperson said.
The statement further said that further investigation was underway. According to Central District Deputy Commissioner Taha Saleem, the fire, caused by a short circuit, had erupted in the factory at around 7:45am Wednesday and spread rapidly engulfing the clothes stored there. He said that since the industrial unit was located in a “highly congested locality”, the firefighters faced difficulty in putting out fire.
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori also visited the scene earlier Thursday and expressed grief at the loss of lives. He said, “Fourteen people were injured and till now, three people have lost their lives. Search for one is going on.
I think that a bigger incident than this could not have occurred on this holy night… I think they will be called martyrs and they will receive a high rank as they were on duty and busy with a task to save others’ lives. “While saving others’ lives, while performing their duty, this building collapsed. The people who got trapped will be called martyrs,” he added.
