Fire erupts at multi-storey building in Karachi

KARACHI: Fire Brigade officials rescued 10 people from a fire that engulfed many floors of a multi- storey building in the early hours of Sunday in Clifton.

The trapped people were rescued using a snorkel by officials of the Fire Brigade, in the third incident involving fire in as many days.

“There is nobody present in the building now,” Tehseen Ahmed, Chief Fire Officer, told media, hours after the blaze was put out.

The commercial building houses offices and shops and eye witnesses said explosions were  heard as fire raged through affected parts of the structure.

The incident underscored lack of resources the Fire Brigade Department has been facing as the snorkel had no access beyond sixth floor and three people stranded at the eighth floor had to reach the snorkel using ropes.

The Fire Department has only one snorkel on its disposal to cope with any situation that may arise in the city of 20 million people as two of total three are out of order.

Ahmed said the two snorkels were not operational but would soon be repaired. Cause of the fire was yet to be known.