KARACHI: Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab’s office was completely gutted after a fire broke out at the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) headquarters on Tuesday, triggering a major firefighting operation at the civic authority’s main building.
According to the fire department, the blaze started in a kitchen located next to the mayor’s office. Firefighters were dispatched to the building after the fire was reported, with additional resources brought in as the intensity of the blaze became clear.
The fire department later confirmed that the flames had been brought under control and the operation had been completed.
There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries in the incident.
Major firefighting operation at KMC headquarters
A fire brigade spokesperson said the blaze was classified as a third-degree fire, requiring additional firefighting equipment and personnel.
Eleven KMC fire tenders, two water tankers and a snorkel were deployed to tackle the flames. Additional fire tenders were also called in to assist with the operation.
The scale of the response reflected concerns over containing the fire inside the KMC headquarters and preventing it from spreading to other parts of the building.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known, and authorities were expected to determine how the blaze started and assess the extent of the damage.
The mayor’s office, however, suffered significant damage, with the office area reportedly completely gutted by the fire.
Fire comes a day after Landhi factory blaze
The KMC incident occurred just a day after another fire was reported in Karachi.
On Monday, a blaze broke out at an old-clothes factory in the Landhi Export Processing Zone (EPZ). Three people, including a woman, reportedly experienced breathing difficulties following the incident.
The back-to-back fires have once again drawn attention to fire safety and emergency preparedness in Karachi, a densely populated city where industrial, commercial and residential buildings frequently operate under challenging safety conditions.
Gul Plaza tragedy highlighted Karachi’s fire risks
The latest incident also comes months after one of the deadliest commercial fires in Karachi in recent years.
Earlier this year, a devastating blaze swept through Gul Plaza, a popular three-storey shopping centre in the city, killing more than 70 people and exposing serious shortcomings in fire safety and emergency response systems.
The shopping complex housed nearly 1,200 businesses across its basement, mezzanine and three floors. Shops selling wedding clothes, toys, household goods, baby products and other merchandise were among the businesses operating inside the building.
The fire reduced much of the complex and its contents to ashes, while the high death toll prompted renewed questions over building safety standards, emergency exits and enforcement of fire regulations in Karachi.
Against that backdrop, the fire at the KMC headquarters is likely to renew concerns about the safety of public buildings and the preparedness of emergency services to respond to major fires.
Authorities have yet to announce the cause of Tuesday’s blaze or provide a detailed assessment of the damage to the mayor’s office and other parts of the KMC building.
