KARACHI: A major fire broke out in a timber market here, gutting several shops and a three-storey residential building in the densely populated locality of this Pakistani city.
The fire, which broke out in the wee hours yesterday, was so severe that the fire fighters took nearly 14 hours to douse the flames with 45 fire tenders involved in the operation.
There was no casualty in the fire.
The fire spread quickly due to wooden furnitures in the market and gutted a nearby three-storey residential building and several godowns and shops.
“There was no casualty as the residents and other people in the area were evacuated immediately,” Chief of the Karachi Fire Brigade, Ehtashamuddin said.
“It was a grade three fire and frankly speaking the Karachi fire department does not have the capacity to battle such a major fire. We could controlled it only because the Pakistan Navy, Defence Housing Authority and Karachi Port Trust also sent their fire engines to assist us,” he said.
“The narrow and congested lanes in the timber market hampered our efforts to put out the fire quickly which started from two shops,” he said.
Sindh Information Minister Sharrjeel Memon told reporters that the government would announce compensation to the victims after a probe into the fire. (AGENCIES)
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