Deadly factory fire in Karachi kills at least 289
Wednesday, September 12th, 2012 9:58:22 by Faisal Farooq
Over 289 people including women and children reportedly killed while several others sustained severe burnt injuries when fire broke out in a garments factory in Baldia Town, Karachi.
According to the officials, rescue workers have recovered as many as 270 charred remains from the factory.
They said that the fire departments had managed to control fire in most parts of the factory and were now trying to recover bodies of the dead from the building.
Metropolitan Commissioner Matanat Ali Khan while speaking to the media said that there were dozens of bodies still inside the stricture.
He said, “The factory structure, having been exposed to a sweltering blaze for over eight hours, is now in a precarious condition with cracks appearing in its walls. The building has sagged from one side and rescue officials too had warned that the building could collapse at any moment”.
In result of the lost of so many precious lives, Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad has announced a day of mourning in the city on Wednesday.
Despite help from the Pakistan Navy, firefighters confessed that they failed to complete the rescue operation due to the intensity of fire and shortage of water.
Chief Fire Officer Ehtishamuddin Siddiqui observed, “There is so much heat that we cannot even enter the building and just hosing down from the outside. The fire needs to be extinguished from above and we have called the Pakistan Air Force for help”.
He further continued that there were about 1500 workers present in the three-storey building when the fire broke out.
He stated that the fire fighters faced several problems. In his view, they had to break doors and windows to save the lives of people.
He termed it a third degree fire, saying the blaze had completely engulfed and damaged the infrastructure of the building. The rescue mission was really difficult as there is only one exit in the building, he added.
Some officials claimed that around 100 trapped workers were rescued by the firefighters but there are fears that the death toll could further increase.
SSP Amir Farooqui briefing the media said that an exact death toll could not be ascertained until the fire was extinguished. The cause of the fire is still unknown, adding that an inquiry would be conducted in this regard, he added.
The commissioner of Karachi has ordered police to lodge an FIR against the factory owner.
Tags: Chief Fire Officer Ehtishamuddin Siddiqui, Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad, Karachi Fire, Metropolitan Commissioner Matanat Ali Khan, Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Navy, Plastic Factory, SSP Amir FarooquiShort URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=32488
Posted by Faisal Farooq
on Sep 12 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan.
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Ok, before the incident owner might be contributing to the economy of Pakistan in terms of tax, employment, exports and what not….I think now the owner of the factory needs government help in this matter.
Earlier he was generating employment in an economy and God knows how many families were fed, but now when out of no where there is a factory fire everyones against him,
NOT FAIR PAKISTANIS, NOT FAIR
Deadly factory fire in Karachi kills over 100
sub sirf baatin ker rahay hian kisi ko pata hay nahi k factory ka honour kon.
factory honour ko pakro to koi or aagay baaat karo warna kisi ko b koi baat kernay ka HUQ nahi hay
1. Judicial inquiry should be launched.
2. To avoid such events, audit of factories should be conducted to review fore fighting measures in place.
3. Factory owner should be forced to insure the employees and submit evidence to GOP.