Factory fires in Lahore and Karachi

Published September 12, 2012
The silhouette of a firefighter can be seen in front of the blazing factory. ? Photo by AP
The silhouette of a firefighter can be seen in front of the blazing factory. ? Photo by AP
Residents look on while firefighters try to extinguish a fire at a shoe factory in Lahore. ? Photo by Reuters
Residents look on while firefighters try to extinguish a fire at a shoe factory in Lahore. ? Photo by Reuters
Pakistani rescuers shift the dead body of a garment factory worker. ? Photo by AFP
Pakistani rescuers shift the dead body of a garment factory worker. ? Photo by AFP
Pakistani women mourn for their families that fell victim to the factory fire. ? Photo by AFP
Pakistani women mourn for their families that fell victim to the factory fire. ? Photo by AFP
Local residents surround the burning garment factory in Karachi. ? Photo by AFP
Local residents surround the burning garment factory in Karachi. ? Photo by AFP
Pakistani firefighters take part in the rescue operation at the garment factory in Karachi. ? Photo by AFP
Pakistani firefighters take part in the rescue operation at the garment factory in Karachi. ? Photo by AFP
Pakistani people identify the dead bodies of workers after a garment factory was engulfed in a fire. ? Photo by AFP
Pakistani people identify the dead bodies of workers after a garment factory was engulfed in a fire. ? Photo by AFP
A man mourns the death of relatives in the garment factory fire. ? Photo by AFP
A man mourns the death of relatives in the garment factory fire. ? Photo by AFP
A Pakistani fireman tries to extinguish a factory fire in Lahore. ? Photo by AP
A Pakistani fireman tries to extinguish a factory fire in Lahore. ? Photo by AP
Rescue operations continue as Pakistani rescuers work to evacuate garment factory workers. ? Photo by AFP
Rescue operations continue as Pakistani rescuers work to evacuate garment factory workers. ? Photo by AFP
Rescue operations continue into the night as fire fighters try to extinguish the flames. ? Photo by AFP
Rescue operations continue into the night as fire fighters try to extinguish the flames. ? Photo by AFP
Fire trucks are parked outside the garment factory while fire fighters work at extinguishing the fire. ? Photo by AFP
Fire trucks are parked outside the garment factory while fire fighters work at extinguishing the fire. ? Photo by AFP

Fire broke out in a garment factory in Baldia Town, Karachi.

“We found dozens of people dead in a large room of the factory’s basement. It was totally burnt and parts of it were smouldering, which we put out before shifting the bodies to hospitals” the Karachi fire chief Ehtesham Salim told AFP

Earlier this Tuesday a fire in a shoe factory in Lahore claimed at least 22 lives.

Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has “expressed shock and grief over the loss of precious lives and directed the concerned authorities to provide best medical treatment to the injured.”

Critics say the government is too corrupt and ineffective to tackle an array of problems from struggling industries to suicide bombings in the South Asian nation.

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