Category Three fire at chemical factory causes panic in Mehran Town

A massive fire broke out on Friday at a chemical factory in Korangi’s Mehran Town area. No loss of life was reported in the incident.

The chemical factory is located in Mehran Town Sector A/6 within the jurisdiction of the Korangi Industrial Area police station. The blaze, which was termed a Category Three fire, caused fear in the area and clouds of smoke were visible on the horizon from faraway areas of the city.

Upon receiving the information, the fire brigade department of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation dispatched two fire engines to douse the fire. However, at they were not enough, more fire tenders has to be sent to the factory.

Emergency was declared when the fire brigade department labelled the incident as a case of Category Three fire and called fire vehicles from across the city to control the blaze.

Some workers were also trapped inside the factory, but the firefighters successfully rescued them. A total of 14 fire tenders participated in the fire extinguishing operation, which took around two hours to complete. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined. According to the fire brigade spokesperson, the factory did not have anti-fire system and fire extinguishers.

The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board managing director also imposed an emergency at Landhi’s Future Water Hydrant and tankers filled with water were sent to the burning factory.

Korangi Deputy Commissioner Saleemullah Odho told the media that the factory woulc be sealed after the cooling process was complete and a police mobile van had been stationed there. He added that the factory owner or administration would be allowed to reopen it only after they had obtained clearance from the relevant authorities.

Odho also appreciated the role of the fire brigade, saying that the firefighters handled the fire professionally, due to which it did not spread to nearby factories. Police said action would be taken against those responsible for paying negligence.