KARACHI: A young man died in a fire that broke out in an industrial unit in Korangi on Friday afternoon, officials said.

An Edhi Foundation spokesperson said that a man in his early 20s died in the incident.

Dr Seemin Jamali, the executive director of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre where the body was brought, said he died from burns and his identity could not be ascertained. The name of the victim could not be ascertained till our going to press.

Korangi Industrial Area SHO Rana Haseeb Ahmed said that the blaze broke out in the Vohra Enterprise Pvt Ltd near Chamra Chowrangi at around 1.45pm during lunchtime and prayer break when not many employees were present.

He said that the chemicals and foams in the factory caused a sudden spread of the fire that engulfed the ground and first floors of the industrial unit.

North Karachi van fire toll rises to 10

The SHO said that it could not be ascertained immediately as to whether the person that died in the fire was an employee or not.

A fire official said that they received information about the blaze at about 2.15pm and three fire tenders were sent to extinguish it.

He said only three vehicles were sent because the KMC’s fire department was facing shortage of fuel because funds were not being provided to them.

However, realising the gravity of the fire, more fire tenders were despatched from the Karachi Port Trust, Bin Qasim, Defence Housing Authority and Pakistan Navy. Around one dozen fire tenders managed to control the blaze after several hours.

The police said that they had arranged four water tankers and also sought help from locals for provision of water to meet any eventuality.

The official said that the fire was controlled at around 6pm but the cooling process continued in the night.

The exact cause of the fire was not immediately known.

The area SHO said that the factory building was badly damaged in the fire.

Death toll rises to 10 in van fire tragedy

 The death toll due to the recent fire in a Suzuki Hi-roof van in the city has increased to 10 as one more victim died on Friday.

Jamal alias Deedar, 45, died during treatment at the Burns Centre of Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, said its in charge Dr Ehmer-al-Ibran.

He suffered 85 per cent burns. His younger brother, Nasir, 30, was also under treatment and his condition was improving, he added.

Nine members of a family, including five children, were burnt to death when a fire erupted in a moving van in New Karachi on Jan 10. Investigators had blamed the presence of a fuel bottle inside the van as the probable cause of the fire.

 Stabbed to death

A young man was found murdered in the SITE area on Friday.

The Edhi Foundation said that the victim was later identified as Qamar Gul, 30.

His body was recovered near Quba mosque in Block-5, Metroville. He was stabbed to death.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2020