Friday, September 14, 2012

Karachi Inferno: Factory cleared after 41 hours


The factory building, which was gutted in a massive blaze that claimed 289 lives, was cleared Thursday morning  after 41 hours of rescue work, officials said.
Chief fire officer Ehtishamud Din said the operation continued all night long and after drainage machines pumped water out of the basement the building is now cleared after 41 hours.
Talking to media, he said the upper three floors had already been cleared but problems were faced clearing the basement as it was filled with water and had became extremely hot as a result of continued 18-hour fire.
The fire officer Ehtisham asserted there is no more dead body left at the factory now.
Earlier at night, the second floor of the gutted garment factory caught fire again; however, the fire-tenders brought it under control.
On Thursday morning, affected families staged protest demonstration as the heavy machinery could not be transported to the blaze site, which delayed the relief work at the basement of the factory.
The affected people warned they will themselves drain out the accumulated water after breaking the wall of the factory, if the administration continues to display disregard over the tragedy of so immense proportions.
As many as 217 bodies were kept at Edhi Center; of them, 107 have been delivered to the bereaved families after identification process.
Eight bodies will be dispatched to different areas of Punjab including Muzaffargarh and Rahim Yar Khan.
Edhi Center Sohrab Goth’s official said the bodies being shifted to Punjab cities will be given free-of-cost service.
The loss of lives of 289 innocent people in a factory conflagration has saddened the atmosphere of the metropolis.
Announcing three-day mourning, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has called off all organizational and political activities in grief over the incident that claimed 289 lives.

Chief Justice (CJ) of Pakistan and Judges of the Supreme Court offered condolence and prayed for the departed souls of workers who got killed in the factory fire at Karachi and Lahore.
Chief Justice and  Judges assembled Thursday before the start of proceedings of their respective Benches and offered Fateha for the workers of the tragic incidents who were caught in a deadly fire and perished. May Allah Almighty bless their souls and provide strength to their families to bear this irreparable loss. (The Nation)