A massive fire broke out at the Karachi International Container Terminal at Karachi Port on Friday, engulfing around 20 containers and forcing the suspension of handling operations of two ships, officials said.
According to port sources, the fire erupted in a pile of containers inside the ICT terminal. Initial reports suggested the blaze may have originated from chemical containers, while some of the affected containers were carrying electronic items, chemicals, cloth and lithium batteries.
Rescue 1122 said the fire spread rapidly, trapping multiple containers at the terminal. Firefighting operations were launched immediately, with 13 fire tenders initially deployed to control the blaze.
As the intensity of the fire increased, the number of fire tenders was raised to 20. All rescue personnel and port security teams remained present at the site as efforts continued to bring the situation under control.
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry took notice of the incident and directed authorities to utilise all available resources to fully extinguish the fire. On his instructions, the chairman of the Karachi Port Trust and all relevant officers reached the site.
Officials said the firefighting operation was being carried out under the direct supervision of the KPT chairman, adding that more than 80% of the fire had been brought under control and no casualties had been reported.
The KPT chairman has sought a detailed report on the incident and its causes, while efforts remain underway to completely extinguish the remaining flames and prevent further damage.
