Karachi: High-rise building on Sharea Faisal catches fire

KARACHI: A huge fire that erupted in a commercial high-rise on Sharea Faisal near Nursery on Friday was put out after hours of efforts, authorities said.

Dozens of people stranded in the building were rescued and no casualty was reported in the incident.

The fire broke out in the 12-storey building comprising nearly 15 offices and quickly engulfed the entire building.

The fire department dispatched one fire engine but seeing the gravity of the fire it sent more. A total of three fire engines and a snorkel doused the fire by 11.20am.

Fire brigade department officials said that the cooling process is underway.

Last month, at least one person was injured and several others were evacuated to safety after a massive fire ripped through a multi-storey building near Nursery on Sharea Faisal.

The blaze, rated by fire tenders as a third-degree fire, erupted in a billboard on top of the building — which houses several offices, as indicated by fire department personnel — and subsequently engulfed the entire building.

Responding to calls for help, 13 fire tenders arrived at the scene to put out the Category III blaze in the building, which was located adjacent to a petrol pump.

SHO Inaam Junejo of Ferozabad Police Station said that responding to information, he along with his staff rushed to the spot and called the fire brigade and rescue services to reach the property.

He has said that personnel of the K-Electric and other utilities also arrived and disconnected the electricity and gas connections.

Two snorkels also joined hectic efforts to extinguish the fire.

SHO Junejo said that during the operation they rescued people who were present inside the building; however, during the process, one person jumped from the first floor of the building and suffered injuries.