KARACHI: At least 15 labourers have lost their lives in a fire that broke out at a chemical factory in Karachi on Friday
The blaze broke out at a factory in Mehran Town, Korangi. The bodies of 15 labourers have been retrieved from inside the building so far and fire fighting personnel are engaged in rescue operations.
Many people are still trapped inside the factory.Rescue officials said they had asked for heavy machinery to break the factory walls.
It is being reported that they are facing difficulties in the rescue operation due to smoke. Till 1:35pm, the police said more than 20 people were feared to be inside the factory.
The fire has been brought under control and the cooling process is underway,.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has taken notice of the fire at Karachi’s chemical factory and sought a report from the commissioner Karachi and labour department on how the fire broke out.
This was shared by Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab.
The Sindh CM has asked the concerned authorities to explain how the incident took place, what precautionary and safety arrangements were taken in the factory and how so many lives were lost.
The CM gave orders to extend full support to the bereaved families and said the injured should be given full treatment.
One of the factory worker’s said that he arrived at the facility early morning around 4am and four of his brothers were with him.
He said all four of them have been burnt to death,
The eyewitness said they not know how the fire started. “There was no short-circuit and neither was food being prepared,” he said, adding that when the fire broke out, they called for help, but there was no one to listen.
He said some of the windows at the back were open.
The factory worker said that there were 25 people inside the factory at the time of the fire, including him.
