• Fire initially erupts in a shop as result of short circuit. 
• Blaze engulfs entire complex comprising 250 shops and 450 flats.
• Rescue teams express fear of building collapse due to fire’s intensity.

---

KARACHI: At least two people were injured when a six-storey apartment building near Karachi’s Ayesha Manzil area — which remains very busy throughout the day — caught fire Wednesday, with residents of the building present inside at the time of the incident.

Initially, a shop caught fire as result of a short circuit, but the flames  later spread to other shops that were part of the furniture market situated under the building. The blaze spread rapidly and soon engulfed the entire building comprising 250 shops and 450 apartments, creating panic among the dwellers. 

However, the building was completely evacuated within two hours, as the  Fire Department teams reached to the site and acted swiftly to douse the blaze after it was reported. 

During the rescue operation, a man with severe burns was taken out of the building, while Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said two people were injured in the fire incident.

Director Rescue 1122 Sindh Abid Shaikh, talking to Geo News, said: “Maximum people have been evacuated. The fire extinguishing operation is still underway. The fire is of the third category, which has engulfed the entire building.”

The affected building has a total of two commercial floors — ground and mezzanine — and the four floors at the top are residential.

As per Rescue 1122, over 300 people have been evacuated. The rescue service also expressed the fear of building’s collapse due to high intensity of fire.

Though the fire was partially doused, search operation is still underway at the site of incident.

This is the latest massive fire incident that took place in less than two weeks in the port city, with a fire tearing through a shopping mall situated on Rashid Minhas Road on November 25, killing at least 11 people and injuring several others.

Fire safety measures are overlooked in several apartment complexes that are in the metropolis which houses nearly 20 million, with reports revealing that around 12,000-15,000 losing their lives in fires across the country.

The Rashid Minhas Road fire prompted the authorities to conduct a fire safety audit across several buildings in Karachi, but as it was underway, the Ayesha Manzil fire in the Federal B Area erupted.

Although there aren’t reports of major injuries, Geo News‘ correspondents present on the site said that people evacuated on their own, with not much help from rescue personnel.

Almas Talha, a resident of the building, said she was still inside when the fire erupted, but her watchman responded quickly and evacuated people from the flat.

“I was inside my flat […] and I am with my ‘special child’ who is four years old. People are cooperating, but I just hope our flat is saved. I pray for everyone here,” Talha, who lives on the fourth floor of the flat, told Geo News.

Fire Department officials said that seven fire tenders, a snorkel, and two bowsers were participating in the fire extinguishing operation. 

The police earlier said that more equipment had been sought.

Speaking to Geo News SSP Central that there are residential flats above the shop that caught fire — and people were in them at the time of the incident.

He said that the shop that caught fire initially, was a mattress store, and the flames have engulfed the surrounding shops as well.

The official said that efforts are underway to evacuate the people present in the building.

In a statement, caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar said he had taken notice of the fire and directed authorities to take control of the situation.

Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori told Geo News that he would do his best to take steps so such incidents do not take place again.

“I will beg authorities to sit together and find ways to avoid these incidents,” he said, lamenting that fire engines were late in reaching the site, asking stakeholders to stop trading blame.

Earlier, in a statement from the Governor’s House, it was mentioned that Tessori had taken notice of the unfortunate incident and directed authorities to ensure people were evacuated safely.

“All resources should be utilised to handle the situation,” he said.