A massive fire broke out at a tyre workshop located in a four-story building in Defence Phase 2 on Saturday night, leaving two women dead. According to police and rescue officials, the fire spread quickly and became uncontrollable, covering the first floor of the building.
Rescue teams said the blaze started in the workshop where oil, tyres, and other flammable materials were stored. Firefighters broke the window grills to reach inside and continued efforts to control the flames.
Eight people were rescued during the operation, while one half-conscious person was still trapped inside. Unfortunately, two women who had been taken to a nearby hospital could not survive and died from suffocation. Firefighters also called in a snorkel to help with the operation.
Earlier this month, a similar fire tragedy occurred when a three-story garments factory collapsed after being engulfed in flames in Karachi’s New Industrial Area, Sector 8-A. Rescue teams feared some firefighters and officials could be trapped under the rubble.
Witnesses recalled hearing a loud explosion when the building suddenly caved in, creating panic in the neighborhood. At least three injured people were pulled out, and five, including a cameraman, were reported injured in total.
Rescue teams and law enforcement rushed to the site, continuing search and relief work. Fire officials explained that the fire had begun on the ground floor before rapidly spreading upward. More than 15 fire tenders and a snorkel were deployed to douse the fire. Fortunately, no workers were inside the factory when the incident happened, and no deaths were reported. The cause of both fires is still being investigated.
