A massive fire erupted at the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) on Friday afternoon, resulting in the destruction of at least 20 containers. Officials confirmed that the blaze, which originated at the Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) in West Wharf, posed no immediate threat to human life as port workers were observing Friday prayers at the time of the incident.
The fire was first reported around 1:45 PM, with initial reports indicating it started in a single container. However, it rapidly spread to numerous adjacent containers.
Initial Response to the Karachi Port Fire
South-DIG Syed Asad Raza stated that police responded swiftly to the alarm. “We immediately dispatched officers to the scene within the Docks police jurisdiction,” Raza told reporters. “Simultaneously, rescue and fire extinguishing teams arrived to combat the escalating situation.”
Rescue 1122 Spokesperson Hassaan Ul Haseeb Khan explained the challenging nature of the fire. “The container carrying electrical, dry chemical, and lithium batteries is believed to have spontaneously ignited,” Khan said. “This then tragically spread, engulfing 19 other containers filled with batteries, clothing, and various other goods.” He noted that the contents of all 20 containers were completely lost, leading to significant financial damage.
Challenges in Firefighting Operations
Khan highlighted the unique difficulties faced by the emergency services. “This fire did not require water for its extinction; a specialized powder was necessary to effectively control it,” he explained. This required an escalated response.
The Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation provided water tankers, while twenty fire tenders from Rescue 1122, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) fire brigade, the KPT, and the Pakistan Navy were deployed. These combined efforts managed to control the blaze by approximately 4:50 PM. News from SindhNews.com indicates that such fires are becoming a growing concern.
Emerging Threat of Spontaneous Battery Fires
Officials are expressing concern about the potential cause. “This presents an emerging challenge for firefighters in Karachi,” Khan noted. “Batteries used in electric vehicles can spontaneously ignite due to specific temperature fluctuations, becoming a new health and safety hazard.” He recalled a similar incident last year where a battery-powered luxury electric vehicle caught fire, resulting in fatalities. Khan suspects a similar scenario may have occurred at KPT.
Investigation into the Fire’s Cause
Despite the initial assessment regarding batteries, an early investigation suggested a different origin. “During our initial probe, it transpired that the fire broke out due to a short circuit in a container filled with clothes, which then spread to others,” Raza stated. Cooling operations continued after the main fire was controlled by 4:30 PM.
Shariq Ameen Farooqi, a KPT public relations officer, confirmed the rapid spread within closely packed containers, some stacked on top of each other. “An immediate and well-coordinated emergency response was carried out, led by the Karachi Port Trust Fire Brigade Service,” Farooqi said. This response involved eight KPT fire tenders, supplemented by units from the Pakistan Navy, Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works, and KMC.
The successful containment of the fire is credited to swift action and effective coordination among all involved agencies. The outcome of the incident underscores the importance of robust emergency preparedness at critical port facilities.