KARACHI – Dozens of shops burned to ashes as the fire broke out in Empress Market, police said.
The conflagration broke out overnight, it gulped down several shops with flames billowing out in tall plumes, gutting goods housed at the dry fruits shops worth million of rupees.
The blaze was so intense that fire tenders from across the city had to be called in with police and the Rangers in large number cordoned the entire affected site.
Fire brigade crew said it was dry fruits shops that first caught the fire and then it widened its sphere, adding they faced difficulties owing to prevailing darkness.
The owners of these gutted shops also arrived on the spot only to helplessly watch their shops burn to ashes.
City District Government’s EDO Municipal Services, Masud Alam said it was premature to say for sure about the reason of the fire.
It should be mentioned here that Empress Market is one of the largest retailers’ markets of the metropolis; but, this market does not have a door to allow fire-tender in. The government needs to build emergency gates in large markets to avert any big loss in the event of fire.
