Landhi factory fire broke out over the weekend at the Landhi Export Processing Zone, resulting in the destruction of goods worth crores of rupees and leaving eight firefighters injured. The Landhi zone fire raged for over 30 hours before it was finally brought under control through a joint firefighting operation involving multiple departments.
The blaze erupted suddenly during the late hours between Saturday and Sunday, rapidly spreading across several factories within the processing zone. Firefighters rushed to the scene after receiving emergency alerts and launched an immediate operation to contain the flames.
According to fire brigade officials, eight firefighters were injured during the operation, including three who suffered burns due to steam and toxic gases inside the industrial units. The cooling process is still underway and is expected to continue for another one to two days to prevent any re-ignition.
The fire was eventually contained with the combined efforts of KMC Fire Brigade, Rescue 1122, KPT, Pakistan Navy, and fire tenders from industrial zones in Landhi, Korangi, and New Karachi. Other emergency and rescue departments also assisted in the large-scale operation.
Some sources claimed that due to the intensity of the Landhi zone fire, parts of several factory buildings collapsed, and the remaining structures declared highly dangerous by the authorities. Fortunately, no fatalities have been reported so far.
Investigations into the cause of the fire are currently underway. Authorities have yet to determine whether it was due to an electrical short circuit, chemical reaction, or negligence in safety protocols.
The Landhi factory fire has once again raised serious questions about the lack of proper fire safety measures and emergency preparedness in industrial zones across Karachi.
