Fire breaks out in basement of apartment near Hyderi

KARACHI: A fire broke out in the basement of an apartment building near Hyderi area of Karachi, ARY News reported.

According to reports, the fire was caused by a short circuit in a company outlet. The affected building is a 13-story apartment complex, and authorities have evacuated the residents from the flats.

No casualties have been reported so far. However, officials have stated that reaching the basement has been challenging due to thick smoke.

The Assistant Commissioner reported that an emergency has been declared at the Sakhi Hassan water hydrant, as firefighters continue to battle the blaze. Due to the thick smoke in the basement, firefighters are facing difficulties in extinguishing the fire.

Fire brigade teams are using heavy exhaust systems to vent the smoke from the basement area.

Earlier, a devastating fire engulfed a passenger van at Bhains Colony turn in Karachi, leaving ten people injured.

According to reports, the fire originated from a gas cylinder within the vehicle. Among the injured, five are in critical condition and are currently receiving medical treatment at a local hospital.

Read More: Karachi van fire leaves 10 injured

The passengers were part of a family from Tando Muhammad Khan who had recently arrived in Karachi.

Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene and managed to extinguish the blaze. The cause of the fire was being investigated, but initial reports suggested a malfunctioning gas cylinder may have ignited the flames.

Similarly, a fire broke out on the fourth floor of the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) in Karachi due to a short circuit, hospital authorities confirmed.

As per details, NICH authorities stated that the fire was caused by a short circuit on fourth floor of the building, spreading smoke to the fifth floor.

The fire damaged some of the equipment at the hospital, but no casualties were reported. Children undergoing treatment were safely relocated to other wards as a precautionary measure, the authorities of the medical facility said.

Rescue teams reached the spot promptly after being informed and extinguished the flames successfully to avert further damage.