Karachi: Fire near oil refinery unabated after 12 hours

KARACHI: Fire near Korangi Creek oil refinery in Karachi could not be controlled after 12 hours, officials said.

The fire was started during excavation of the land.

The chief fire officer has apprehended that the blaze could continue for the next two to three days adding that the firemen facing difficulties to overcome the fire.

According to the Pakistan Petroleum Limited, the fire might be caused by the natural gas fumes emerging from the land adding that such fires also used to happen in Balochistan.

Chief Fire Officer Muhammad Humayun said that the water and gas are mixed. “Tests of the water samples will be conducted to identify the nature of the gas,” he said.

A meeting of the experts held at the scene of the blaze, which decided to collect water samples for tests.

The fire officials have said that it might be the gas emitting from the land. “The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has clarified that it has no installations or gas line at the place”.