Massive blaze continues to rage at Karachi’s Landhi factory, section collapses

• Adjacent factory also catches fire during firefighting operation.
• 16 tenders, two snorkels and water bowser deployed.
• Half of the factory affected, say rescue officials.
  

A massive blaze at a used-clothing factory in Karachi’s Landhi Export Processing Zone continued for more than nine hours, causing part of the building to collapse on Monday night.

The fire, which started at the factory this afternoon, spread to an adjoining factory, according to Rescue 1122.

Fire brigade officials declared the blaze a third-degree fire, with firefighting efforts continuing at the site.

The rescue officials said that the fire had affected half of the factory.

“16 fire tenders, two snorkels and one water bowser” are being used to douse the blaze, the officials added.

Meanwhile, the rescue officials claimed that 70% of the fire at the factory had been brought under control.

Fires aren’t uncommon in the port city. A deadly fire ripped through Gul Plaza — a popular three-storey shopping mall in the port city — on January 17, killing more than 70 people and exposing serious safety failures in the country’s largest city.