KARACHI, Feb 22: Last month’s fire at the Berger Paints Factory in Site, which soon turned into an inferno leaving 90 per cent of the factory gutted, grew out of control partly due to the ill-equipped fire brigade of the city’s fire department, it has emerged.

Sources close to the fire department told Dawn that the delayed response time of the fire tenders in reaching the spot was the main cause of the blaze, which went out of control. “The second fire tender took well over 30 to 45 minutes to reach the factory,” sources claimed.

The first fire tender to reach the scene was from the Site fire station; after arriving at the spot the fire tender’s crew called for reinforcements, but it was the only fit vehicle at the Site fire station.

The other nearest fire station – in Lyari – was called to dispatch its tender, but the duty officer replied that their fire tenders were out of order and were undergoing repairs at the OK body-maker.

The fire department headquarters then called the other nearest fire station of Nazimabad; interestingly the same reply was given: “the fire tenders are out of order and under repair at the OK body-maker,” sources said.

Subsequently, the Orangi fire station was called for help, but they also conveyed their inability, saying that their fire tenders were out of order and under repair.

Finally, fire tenders from the central fire station, located on Nishtar Road, and from Sohrab Goth were dispatched to the burning Berger Paints factory. Both the fire stations are located at a considerable distance from Site.

In the period the fire stations were asked to dispatch their fire tenders to battle the blaze, precious time was lost and the entire factory went up in flames, as highly combustible material was present, sources said.

Incompetence at the top