A fire broke out in a high-rise building in the Shahrah-e-Faisal area of Karachi, engulfing the building. The fire started on the second-floor deck and spread to the 12th floor, trapping around 40 people, including a large number of women, on the roof. A significant fire tender was required to control the fire, which has reportedly arrived, and a rescue operation to evacuate those trapped inside the building is underway.
Fire brigade officials stated that the incident occurred in the Kashif Centre building on Shahrah-e-Faisal. Chief Fire Officer Ishtiaq Ahmed mentioned that the firefighting efforts are being conducted in two phases, but the presence of smoke in the building is causing severe difficulties in the rescue operation due to the lack of smoke ventilation.
Chief Fire Officer Ishtiaq Ahmed added that accessing floors above the seventh level is challenging, and positioning the snorkel is difficult because of the building’s location on Shahrah-e-Faisal.
35 to 40 People on the Building’s Roof, Chief Fire Officer
Regarding the rescue operation, he mentioned that the primary effort is to evacuate the affected individuals, with 35 to 40 people, mostly women, currently on the roof. Several people have been moved to the roof, and a large fire tender has been deployed.
Earlier, fire brigade officials said the fire, which started on the second-floor deck, had spread to the 12th-floor deck. The building lacked any emergency exits, and numerous people were trapped inside, who are being rescued.
Kashif Centre Building is 15 Floors High, Fire Brigade Officials
The fire brigade confirmed that the Kashif Centre building is 15 floors high. Fire brigade vehicles arrived promptly upon receiving the report, preventing the fire from spreading further. One snorkel and seven fire brigade vehicles are working to extinguish the fire, and the snorkel is being used to evacuate people.
A citizen who exited the building reported the absence of emergency exits and that the fire was spreading through electrical wires. The fire brigade arrived late.
DG Rescue 1122
DG Rescue 1122 Dr. Abid Sheikh informed the media that they received the fire report at 10:45 AM. About 70 firefighters are involved in the rescue operation, and initial reports indicated the fire started on the fifth floor.
Abid Sheikh mentioned that snorkels are being used, and the building is filled with smoke. The cause of the fire will be determined after the rescue operation and fire control. About 55 to 60 people have been rescued, and two individuals, including a firefighter, who fainted have been rescued.
He added that personnel from KMC, Pakistan Navy, and other organizations are present, with more than 10 fire tenders and 3 snorkels participating in the rescue operation.
