Seven Injured in Karachi Garments Factory Fire
- At least seven people sustained minor injuries on Thursday after a massive fire gutted a garments factory in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi.
- The facility processes imported second-hand clothing and is located within the Landhi Export Processing Zone, according to statements from Rescue 1122 and Export Processing Zone Chairman A.D.
- “Seven people sustained minor injuries and were shifted to hospitals,” said Hassan Khan, a spokesperson for Rescue 1122 in Sindh province.
At least seven people sustained minor injuries on Thursday after a massive fire gutted a garments factory in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi. The disaster triggered a structural collapse that quickly spread flames to neighboring industrial units, according to rescue officials.
Blaze guts Karachi garment facility
The blaze began in the basement of the MashaAllah Factory. The facility processes imported second-hand clothing and is located within the Landhi Export Processing Zone, according to statements from Rescue 1122 and Export Processing Zone Chairman A.D. Khawaja. The incident prompted a large-scale emergency response as the fire intensified into a third-degree blaze.
Dozens of units respond as structure collapses
“Seven people sustained minor injuries and were shifted to hospitals,” said Hassan Khan, a spokesperson for Rescue 1122 in Sindh province. Khan noted that the fire eventually spread to three other industrial units after the main structure collapsed from the center.
Fire brigade officials dispatched at least 16 fire tenders and two water bowsers to the scene, according to MEGA News. Deputy Mayor Karachi Salman Abdullah Murad stated that additional fire trucks and water tankers from the Water Corporation were deployed as the situation escalated.
“Our top priority is to extinguish the fire as soon as possible,” Murad said. He added that he has called for a full investigation to determine the root cause and identify any safety violations by factory management.
Flammable materials fuel rapid spread
Khawaja visited the site and reported that the first fire tender arrived shortly after 10:30 AM. He noted that the recycling of old clothes involves flammable materials, which contributed to the intensity of the flames.
Rescue official Abid Sheikh stated that emergency responders deployed firefighting foam as part of operations that were projected to take several hours.
Recalling Karachi’s industrial safety crisis
The incident highlights ongoing industrial safety concerns in Karachi, a city of over 20 million residents.
Industrial zones in the region frequently face challenges regarding safety compliance, adequate fire exits, and regulatory enforcement. This mirrors past disasters such as the 2012 Baldia Town factory fire. Authorities confirmed that an investigation into the cause of the Landhi blaze remains underway.