A huge fire broke out in Rampa Plaza, a multi-storied building located in the busy commercial area of MA Jinnah Road in Karachi on Tuesday afternoon. The fire quickly spread to several floors, engulfing a large part of the building within minutes.
Thick black clouds of smoke could be seen from miles away, making efforts to put out the fire difficult. As soon as the fire was reported, fire brigade vehicles including KMC and Rescue 1122 reached the spot. Apart from the local fire services, the Pakistan Navy also sent its fire tenders to help control the fire.
A total of 10 fire tenders, two water bowsers and one snorkel took part in this operation. In addition to water, foam was also used to control the fire.
Rampa Plaza consists of two parts, one of which has caught fire. The ground and mezzanine floors contain commercial shops and parking areas, while the upper floors are home to various warehouses, mostly car spare parts and other plastic goods. Due to the nature of the stored material, the fire spread quickly, severely affecting the fourth and fifth floors.
After the fire, around 100 people were rescued from the building. According to the latest reports, no casualties have been confirmed and the exact cause of the fire has not been ascertained.
During the fire fighting operation, traffic on the road from MA Jinnah Road to Nizam Chowrangi was completely blocked while the opposite lane was diverted.
One way to facilitate the movement of emergency vehicles. Firefighters had to break windows to gain access to the building and apply water pressure and foam to control the blaze. Power to the building was immediately shut off to prevent further damage.
After four hours of efforts, the fire was finally brought under control in the afternoon. However, three floors of the building were burnt down and goods worth lakhs of rupees were reduced to ashes. The fire initially started on the third floor and quickly spread to the fourth and fifth floors. “The building houses shops and warehouses for auto parts and tires, all of which are highly flammable, fueling the fire. Thankfully, there were no casualties,” said a Rescue 1122 spokesperson. Spokesperson said. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has taken notice of the incident and directed the authorities to submit a report including the reasons and response efforts.