At least five firefighters were injured on Sunday while battling a blaze that tore through multiple factories in Karachi’s Landhi Export Processing Zone, emergency officials said.

According to Rescue 1122, the fire erupted in the early hours of the morning in one of the factories and quickly spread to three adjacent units due to the presence of flammable materials such as chemicals and textiles.

Rescue officials confirmed that the injured firefighters, all personnel of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), were rushed to hospital for treatment. One of them remains in critical condition after a section of the burning structure collapsed during the firefighting effort.

The chief operating officer of the rescue department told media that dense smoke and water shortages were hampering efforts. He added that the affected buildings have been declared structurally unsafe following the blaze.

Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the fire, but cited the storage of chemicals and fabrics as contributing factors to the rapid spread. Authorities continue to assess damages and investigate the origins of the blaze.

Source: The Express Tribune.