At least 16 labourers died after a chemical factory in Karachi's Korangi area caught fire Friday morning,Medi reported .
The rescue officials have so far retrieved 16 bodies from the building located in Mehran Town in the Korangi Industrial Area in Karachi. The injured are being shifted to a nearby hospital amid fears that the number of casualties could be higher.
As per details, there were around 15 to 20 labourers trapped inside the factory as the rescue operation began. Families of the labourers also gathered outside the factory with Rangers personnel assisting the relief efforts.Rescue officials are facing difficulties due to smoke, while they try to break the factory walls to retrieve the labourers inside. Reports also suggest fire rescue services reached the site after a delayed response time. However, the fire brigade teams are facing difficulties in the rescue operation because of the narrow lanes leading to the factory. The police are trying to clear the area.
At least 9 fire trucks are at the site. The bodies are being sent to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.
Meanwhile, through a tweet on the official page, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah directed the Karachi commissioner as well as the labour department to submit a report on the incident. "How did the incident occur and what safety precautions were being taken," he questioned.
