Sharea Faisal high-rise catches fire

• Officials say all 50 people were evacuated from building.
• Blaze brought under control via one snorkel, 12 fire tenders.
• Fire leaves six people unconscious, including rescue officials.
  

KARACHI: At least six people, including rescue officials, were left unconscious after a fire broke out at a high-rise building on Sharea Faisal near Metropole on Friday.

The blaze affected the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th floors of the 16-storey building and was doused in a rescue operation that included one snorkel and 12 fire tenders, including those of Pakistan Navy and Rescue 1122.

Out of the six unconscious people, two are women and have been shifted to hospital and are being provided with medical assistance.

Meanwhile, the track from Jinnah Hospital to Metropole has been reopened for traffic after it was closed off due to blaze.

Earlier, traffic police officials said that the traffic is being diverted from FTC to Kala Pul.

Providing details of the rescue operation, the fire department has said that the blaze has been prevented from spreading further and that all 50 people in the building were evacuated.

No one else is reported to be in the building, the fire officials had said.

Earlier, the police, while hinting at the possibility of people being trapped inside the building, had said that the rescue operation was halted due to heavy smoke.

This is the third notable fire incident reported in the metropolis in the ongoing month as on July 15, a blaze erupted in Karachi University's Mass Communication Department after an air conditioner caught fire in its audio-visual room.

The incident happened while students were attending a class all of whom were evacuated immediately.

Prior to that, trading at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) was left suspended for two hours due to a blaze on the building's fourth floor on July 8.

Five fire tenders, one snorkel, and a browser were used in the operation to tackle the blaze, which was caused by a short circuit.