A huge fire which broke out at a warehouse of an online food delivery company in Karachi on Monday night was brought under control after an eight-hour operation by fire-fighters early Tuesday,
According to rescue officials, no one was hurt in the blaze which was doused after eight-hour-long operation in which 10 fire-brigade vehicles took part.
According to eyewitnesses, the fire started due to a short-circuit in the Food Panda company’s warehouse located in the basement of the four-storey building in Nazimabad area and spread quickly.
As per the first responders, they extinguished the fire within two hours but the blaze was reignited in the cooking oil, cold drinks, plastic bottles and other items stored in the basement which caused a loss of millions of rupees.
Chief Fire Officer Humayun Ahmed said commercial activities were taking place in the building but the warehouse lacked proper ventilation, adding heavy machinery was used to break through a warehouse backside wall to allow fire crew to enter the premises.
The administration of the warehouse also did not possess a mandatory Fire No Objection Certificate (NOC), according to the Chief Fire Officer.
Thick smoke inside the building made it impossible for the fire-brigade personnel to enter, even four hours after the blaze erupted. The warehouse was packed to capacity with various goods, including grocery items, Humayun said.
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori took notice of the incident and contacted Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab on phone and directed him to take immediate steps for putting out the fire.
