Fire fighters extinguish fire after 11-hour struggle, Sindh govt constitutes committee to probe incident, pledges to compensate victims’ material loss
A fire that broke out in Karachi’s Timber Market in Old Haji Camp late on Saturday night was extinguished after 11-hours-long hectic efforts by fire fighters. The fire caused tens of millions of rupees losses but fortunately there were no casualties.
According to eyewitnesses, the fire initially started in one building shortly after midnight, but quickly spread to dozens of nearby buildings in the densely populated area.
The local residents came out of their houses following an emergency announcement from the local mosque but some people were said to have been trapped inside their buildings due to the flames.
At least six fire tenders had been called in to douse the fire–rated category three–which had spread to nearby residential Soomro Gali and surrounding shops.
The Old Haji Camp area houses several commercial warehouses where timber is stored for the furniture manufacturing industry. The warehouses are surrounded by a densely populated residential area.
According to a KMC fire brigade official, the narrow lanes of the site posed a major challenge in the attempts to put out the fire.
“Fortunately, we had uninterrupted water supply from different hydrants but the blaze was so intense that the job turned out to be extremely difficult, more so because timber easily catches fire,” said the fire brigade official.
In reply to a question, he said a snorkel was used to water the burning site from the top which greatly helped to control the situation.
The official urged the authorities to ensure safety of the fire-fighters, adding that “they do not have some of the very essential protective gadgets”.
The cause of the fire has not been ascertained. Officials said that anything in this regard could only be determined after thorough investigation.
PM TAKES NOTICE:
Following the incident, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed grief and sorrow over the tragedy.
Taking notice of the eruption of fire, the premier directed the Sindh government and departments concerned to take steps to avert the recurrence of such tragedies in the future at all costs.
SINDH GOVT IN ACTION:
Responding to the incident, the Sindh government has constituted an enquiry committee to ascertain the facts behind Karachi Timber Market inferno and also the estimated loss. Moreover, the provincial government also announced compensation for the traders and residents affected by the fire.
Addressing a press conference, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said the provincial government was committed to compensate for the losses incurred and also to find out the cause of the fire.
“It is important to ascertain the cause so that such an incident is not repeated in the future,” he said.
The minister said that a committee comprising Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Administrator Rauf Akhter Farooqui will present a detailed investigation and associated loss report to the government in a week’s time. He also vowed to provide relief to the traders and residents by compensating their loss.