Fire continues to rage near Korangi Crossing in Karachi

• Authorities temporarily halt firefighting efforts due to heat.
• Fire officer says unable to understand mysterious fire.
• SSGC clarifies they have "no gas installation" near fire site.
  

KARACHI: The fire at Korangi Creek continues to rage as authorities have temporarily halted firefighting efforts due to extreme heat, fire brigade officials said on Saturday.

The fire brigade officials said that the blaze had erupted during a 1,200-foot deep excavation in the wee hours of Saturday. No casualties have been reported so far and the scale of fire has neither increased nor decreased significantly.

Officials admitted facing serious challenges in controlling the blaze and are now working with multiple agencies to devise a new containment strategy. Meanwhile, workers and others near the excavation site have been moved to safety.

Despite nearly 10 hours of firefighting, authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the fire or the type of gas leaking from the ground. While fire brigade officials confirmed the presence of a gas leak, they were unable to specify its type.

However, an expert told Geo News that the leakage could be from a shallow underground gas reserve.

The matter will first be investigated by relevant authorities linked to the "zero gas factor," after which the Petroleum Division will conduct a further inquiry.

Meanwhile, the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) issued a statement confirming that no gas pipeline or installation belonging to them was located near the site.

Senior technical staff from the Military Lands Cantonment Karachi Region are also conducting a thorough inspection of the site.

Initially, firefighters attempted to douse the flames with water, but officials said this only intensified the heat. The strategy was later shifted to using soil and sand to smother the fire. More than 10 fire tenders along with multiple water tankers participated in fire extinguishing operation. 

However, this too has proven ineffective, as the high gas pressure causes the flames to resurface.

Experts warn that without properly identifying the gas and its source, the risk of the fire reigniting remains high.

Earlier, Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi and Korangi Deputy Commissioner Masood Bhutto visited the site to review the situation. Speaking to the media, Hassan said that if a permit exists for such deep boring, it will be verified. He also assured that an investigation would be conducted to determine which authority granted permission for such deep boring.

According to a spokesperson for the Cantonment Board, the CEO of Cantonment Korangi has been present at the scene since last night when the incident began, overseeing the firefighting efforts. 

The inferno, which was previously believed to have erupted out of a gas pipeline after being damaged during underground drilling, has proved extremely difficult to control. 

Talking to Geo News, Senior Fire Officer Muhammad Zafar termed the fire "mysterious", saying that it could not be ascertained yet as to which pipeline had been affected.

"The fire is mysterious. We still do not know which pipeline this is," he said.

Zafar further said that attempts to douse the flames with water were proving ineffective. “We were spraying water on to the flames, but it kept bouncing back,” Zafar explained.

Zafar suggested, saying, "The fire is bursting out from a crater that needs to be sealed with soil."

Given the scale of the fire, Zafar further recommended, “We may need to use a dumper truck or a helicopter to drop soil over the flames.”

The Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) declared an emergency at the Landhi hydrant to ensure an uninterrupted water supply.

"The hydrants in-charge is in constant contact with the fire brigade and rescue teams to maintain the persistent supply of water," a KWSC spokesperson confirmed.

Governor Tessori has expressed serious concern over the situation, calling for immediate and effective action.

"We must take swift measures to control this fire," he said in a call to the Chief Fire Officer and engineers present on the site.

To further boost efforts, the governor assured fire officials that he would coordinate with relevant authorities to arrange a helicopter if needed to drop soil over the flames.