Massive blaze destroys wooden boxes worth millions

Wooden boxes worth millions of rupees were burnt to ashes when a fire broke out at wood warehouses on Main Super Highway on Sunday.

The fire broke out at around 11am at a wood godown located near Chakra Hotel, Janjal Goth. It quickly engulfed the other godowns where boxes, bamboos and other wooden materials were stored.

After receiving reports, fire tenders reached the site and began the fire-fighting operation. Ten fire tenders participated while two more fire tenders from Bahria Town also arrived to help, according to the fire brigade spokesperson.

Tehseen Siddiqui, the chief fire officer, said that before calling the fire department, the locals initially attempted to douse the fire due to which it spread to the other nearby warehouses. However, the fire fighters put the blaze out after hectic efforts of at least four hours, he added.

On the other hand, the locals blamed the fire department for using delay tactics. They claimed that the fire tenders reached the site late, due to which the fire spread to other warehouses. The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained. According to initial details, more than 25,000 boxes were gutted.

The police also reached the site and inquired about the incident. Police officials said that no criminal element was so far found while a case would be registered if any criminal element is found during the investigations.

PPI adds: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Sindh General Secretary and leader of parliamentary party in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh has said that corruption and nepotism in the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has rendered the fire brigade department crippled while the megacity is witnessing big infernos on a regular basis.

Sheikh along with his team rushed to the Super Highway when the news broke about the fire at the wood godowns. He reportedly contacted higher authorities and sought their urgent help to douse the inferno.

According to the affected godown owners, the land on which the warehouses were established was government owned and they were paying rent for using it. They claimed no one came to their rescue immediately and there were no proper fire-fighting arrangements which resulted in the complete destruction of their 15 godowns and merchandise stored there worth millions of rupees were reduced to ashes.

Speaking to the media, the PTI leader said that it was sad that this fire was declared as a third alarm fire but the KMC proved its inefficiency in dousing it on time. He accused the KMC of not being serious in addressing the problems of Karachi and added that during a huge blaze the phones of important KMC officers were switched off.

Sheikh further said that the Karachi commissioner had said seven fire tenders were being rushed to the site but only three of them reached on time, while one water tanker was sent which was not sufficient.

No proper steps were taken to save the burning godowns of poor people, he said, adding that due to corruption and mismanagement of the city administration, proper fire-fighting facilities are not available to the megacity.

The PTI leader further said that fire tenders of the Civil Aviation Authority, Port Qasim and other nearby organisations should have been sent urgently as well as snorkels. He demanded compensation from the government for the affected warehouse owners.