F.P. Report
KARACHI: At least 16 labourers burnt to death and many were still trapped when a huge fire swept a chemical factory located in Karachi’s Mehran Town on Friday.
The rescue personnel said the ablaze engulfed the whole factory and a number of labourers were still trapped inside the factory.
It was also reported that the chemical factory neither had any fire-fighting equipment installed on the premises nor it had any emergency exit doors.
Rangers jawans were also rushed to the site as the operation to put off the fire and rescue the labourers, many of whom are underage, was underway.
Two of the 16 deceased were real brothers working in the same factory, said rescue officials.
Talking to newsmen, Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab said the fire has been extinguished and now rescue teams were carrying out the cooling process.
He said that a report about how the fire started would be shared with the media.
“As many as 21 people were working on the first floor of the factory and rescue operation faced difficulty due to the absence of any emergency exit,” Murtaza said.
Shocking details revealed that there was no emergency exits in the factory and stairs leading to the floor ended up in locked doors.
Two rescuers were also injured during the rescue operation due to no emergency exit in the building.
The family members of the workers gathered outside the factory and emotional scenes were witnessed as mothers were praying for the safety of their sons and loved ones as 20 people were still trapped inside the factory.
Karachi SSP Shahjahan Khan said that the factory got a kitchen too where tea was prepared. The police team is investigating the tragic incident from all angles.
In a startling revelation, sources said rescue teams reached the factory one and half hour after the fire broke out.
Local news channel reported that it was the responsibility of the Sindh Building Control Authority to check and ensure the safety exists in the buildings and factories. Moreover, it was also the duty of the labour department to check and ensure the availability of safety measures in the factory.
Five of the 13 dead bodies were shifted to Jinnah Hospital.
