A massive fire broke out suddenly at a factory in Karachi’s Landhi Export Processing Zone, quickly consuming the entire building.

The blaze was so intense that it completely demolished the structure, leaving eight workers severely injured, some with serious burns.

According to the Fire Brigade, three fire trucks were initially dispatched to the scene, but due to the severity of the fire, it was declared a level three emergency, prompting the deployment of additional vehicles.

A total of 12 fire trucks, two water tankers, and two snorkels were involved in extinguishing the blaze.

As the fire raged, several workers, including women, were trapped on different floors of the building. Rescue teams used iron bars, poles, and emergency ladders to safely evacuate the victims from the building.

Following the fire, two neighbouring factories were immediately evacuated. One nearby factory sustained partial damage, but prompt action by the rescue teams helped contain the fire before it could spread further.

Rescue officials reported that around 500 people, including 100 women, were safely evacuated from the surrounding factories. The injured workers were rushed to the Burns Ward of Civil Hospital.

The injured workers have been identified as: Abdul Rashid (26), Fardeen (28), Arsalan (34), Shehzad (30), Rizwan (38), Tahir Abbas (40), Mohammad Altaf (48), and Jalal (30).

Dr Abid, head of Rescue 1122, stated that the smoke from chemicals present in the factory made firefighting efforts particularly challenging. However, the fire has since been brought under control.

Meanwhile, Sindh’s Chief Minister has taken notice of the incident and ordered the Karachi Commissioner to conduct a full investigation into the cause of the fire.

The chief minister also directed that factory owners and the injured workers be provided with all possible assistance.