KARACHI: A huge fire that broke out in a garment factory in New Karachi Industrial Area on Saturday night was on Sunday put out and the cooling process was still going on, according to officials.

They said that no casualty was reported in the fire.

They said that the blaze erupted in the Al-Awal garment factory at around 10:30pm on Saturday. Initially, a few fire tenders were sent, but after realising the intensity of the fire more fire tenders from five stations were sent since it was declared a third-degree fire.

The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board had declared a state of emergency at its Sakhi Hasan hydrant to ensure smooth supply of adequate water for controlling the fire.

Deputy Commissioner-Central Dr Raja Mahar said 16 fire tenders were called from across the city to control the blaze.

The fire brigade said the fire was controlled at around 12noon Sunday but cooling work was continued. The cause of the fire and estimation of the financial loss could not be ascertained immediately.

New Karachi Industrial Area SHO Younus Khattak said that an electrical short circuit might have caused the fire. He said that there were no workers inside the industrial unit because of weekly off.

Meanwhile, the president of the area traders’ association, Faisal Moeed, told the media that fire tenders provided by the federal government were present in the area but the staff was not available to run the same and put out the fire.

He said a timely action by the district administration saved other factories from possible destruction.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2021