KARACHI: At least 22 people were injured on Wednesday after a powerful explosion ripped through a fireworks warehouse on MA Jinnah Road, sparking a massive blaze, rescue sources confirmed.
The impact of the blast shattered windows of nearby buildings and damaged several vehicles and rickshaws parked in the area. According to Chief Fire Officer Muhammad Humayun Khan, the fire spread rapidly but firefighters managed to bring 70–80 percent of it under control.
Rescue officials said that eight of the injured sustained severe burn wounds. Thirteen victims were shifted to Jinnah Hospital while seven others were taken to Civil Hospital Karachi for medical treatment.
More than 12 fire tenders participated in the firefighting operation, while heavy contingents of police, Rangers, and SSU commandos cordoned off the site and rescued people trapped on the rooftop of the building.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressed deep concern over the incident, stressing that storing fireworks and hazardous materials in residential and commercial areas poses grave risks. He directed the Karachi Commissioner to keep him informed until the blaze was fully extinguished.
SSP South Mahzoor Ali confirmed that the fireworks outlet had been operating in the area for several years. Many of the injuries, he said, were caused by flying glass fragments from surrounding structures.
The incident has once again raised concerns about Karachi’s lax safety enforcement and the unchecked presence of fireworks warehouses in densely populated neighborhoods.
Related Incident:
Earlier, a third-degree fire broke out at a factory in Karachi’s Landhi Export Processing Zone. The blaze, which started in the basement, caused two sections of the facility to collapse and spread to adjoining factories. At least seven workers were injured, but no fatalities were reported. Firefighting teams deployed 16 tenders and two water bowsers and were eventually able to bring the fire 90 percent under control.
