Karachi fire: Landhi factory collapses, seven injured

KARACHI: Despite the hectic efforts of the firefighters, a garment factory in Karachi’s Landhi Export Processing Zone collapsed after a massive fire, leaving seven people injured. Emergency has been declared at Sherpao Hydrant owing to the intensity of the operation.

According to rescue officials, thick smoke is hampering efforts to control the blaze, which has also spread to an adjacent factory. Workers were safely evacuated with the help of a construction pole used as an emergency escape route. Seven people have been injured as a result of roof and wall collapsing due to the fire.

Deputy Mayor Karachi, Salman Abdullah, explained that rescue teams reached the site promptly after the fire was reported: “Firefighters and rescue personnel have been working to control the blaze. The fire intensified within the factory, weakening its infrastructure. However, all factory workers were successfully evacuated.”

At least 34 injured in Karachi firecracker warehouse blast

Additional fire tenders have been dispatched, and efforts are underway to bring the fire under control as soon as possible, he further said.

According to Rescue 1122 official Yasiri Ali, the fire initially started in the factory’s basement in Landhi and quickly spread to the upper floors of the five-storey building. Over ten fire tenders from various departments are currently engaged in dousing the flames while the fire has been declared a third-degree emergency. Women factory workers from nearby factory have also been rescued by Rangers.

Fire at G-9 corporate tax office building, trapped employees evacuated

“Heavy black smoke is making firefighting operations difficult,” said one rescue official, adding, “while no injuries have been reported so far, parts of the building’s roof have collapsed due to the intensity of the fire.”

The fire reportedly engulfed all upper floors, raising fears of further structural damage and the intensity of is also causing problems for the staff of the nearby factories in the area.

Landhi cosmetic factory fire

On June 9, another massive fire broke out at a cosmetics factory in Landhi’s Export Processing Zone which was extinguished after more than 36 hours, officials had confirmed. The blaze, which began early Sunday, spread to three nearby factories due to flammable chemicals on-site, leaving four units badly damaged, three of them now structurally unsafe. At least five firefighters were injured during the operation, with one in critical condition. Over 20 fire tenders battled dense smoke and water shortages. Cooling efforts will continue for several days. The fire’s cause remains unknown, and authorities had launched investigations into the incident.

Baldia factory fire

Factory fires in the past have left a haunting mark on Karachi especially the Baldia factory fire that occurred on September 11, 2012 at the Ali Enterprises garment factory. The fire claimed the lives of 260 workers and injured 32 others.

The factory, which primarily supplied clothing to German retail giant KiK, lacked basic safety measures and failed to meet labor standards. It also housed US and Italian companies. The tragedy marked the first instance of a German firm, KiK (short for Kunde ist König, or “Customer is King”), being taken to court over a supplier’s violations abroad. Survivors and victims’ families accuse KiK and local partners of joint responsibility. In March 2015, four affected individuals filed a compensation case in a Dortmund court, also seeking an official apology.

Karachi mall fire under control as one floor gutted

The court accepted jurisdiction and granted legal aid to the plaintiffs. The fire drew further international scrutiny after the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh months later, highlighting major safety lapses across global supply chains tied to Western markets.