Hours-long fire in Landhi EPZ brought under control

A third-degree fire broke out at a cosmetics manufacturing unit in the Landhi Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in the early hours of Sunday and rapidly spread to three other adjacent factories.

Fuelled by highly flammable substances such as perfume chemicals, sanitisers and packaging materials, the blaze raged for over 30 hours before it was finally contained through a massive firefighting operation.

According to Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Fire Brigade Chief Officer Humayun Ahmed Khan, the fire erupted at around 3:15am. By the time the first fire engine reached the site, the perfume factory was already engulfed in flames.

Water shortages severely hampered early efforts, with firefighters requesting additional support from hydrants across the city. Fourteen fire engines, two snorkels and a bowser were deployed.

Personnel from the KMC, Rescue 1122, the Pakistan Navy and the Karachi Port Trust took part in the operation. Firefighters also faced challenges due to the collapse of factory sheds, which made certain areas inaccessible. The presence of baled textile goods made the cooling process more difficult.

Excavators and dumpers were called in to clear the debris and reach smouldering materials hidden deep in the rubble. Four firefighters were injured due to steam, toxic gas exposure and collapsing structures. Two affected buildings have been declared structurally unsafe.