A large fire broke out at a factory inside Karachi’s Landhi Export Processing Zone (EPZ) on Monday, and part of the building came down as flames tore through the structure. Rescue 1122 rushed fire tenders, snorkels, and ambulances to the site within minutes of getting the call. Hours later, firefighters were still working to bring the blaze fully under control.
Background: Another Fire in an Area That Keeps Burning
The Landhi factory fire is not an isolated event. The Landhi EPZ, one of Karachi’s busiest industrial zones, has seen a string of fires over the past two years, some involving factory collapse in Karachi and multiple casualties. In August 2025, a five-storey garment factory in the same zone caught fire and later collapsed, injuring eight workers. Just months before that, a June 2025 fire left five people hurt after part of a factory building came down during firefighting.
Officials and residents alike have started to notice the pattern. Fire brigade officers have previously pointed to weak building structures, stockpiled combustible material, and gaps in fire safety compliance as recurring problems across the zone. Monday’s Landhi fire adds to that list, and it will almost certainly reopen questions about how factories in the area are inspected and maintained.
Details: How the Karachi Fire Incident Unfolded
According to Rescue 1122, the fire was classified as a third-degree blaze, meaning it was serious enough to demand a large, coordinated response. The agency’s Central Command and Control Centre received the initial alert and dispatched teams immediately. Fire brigade vehicles, ambulances, and rescue personnel converged on the site as smoke rose over the industrial zone.
Firefighting crews described the effort as difficult from the start. Despite hours of continuous work, the fire could not be fully doused right away. Three workers were briefly trapped inside the building and suffered smoke-related suffocation before rescue teams pulled them out safely. Rescue 1122 said the rest of the staff present at the factory were evacuated without incident, and no deaths had been reported as firefighting operations continued.
Water supply quickly became a concern, as it often does during large industrial fires in the area. The Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KW&SC) stepped in once the fire brigade asked for support, activating emergency measures at the Landhi and Sherpao hydrants. Water tankers were sent to the scene, and officials at the hydrants cell stayed in direct contact with rescue teams throughout the operation to keep supply steady.
Quotes: What Officials Said
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaan Khan confirmed that emergency teams reached the site right after the alert came in, and that three people who had been trapped by smoke were rescued safely. He told Business Recorder that no casualties had been reported so far, even as firefighters continued their work well past the initial hours of the operation.
On the water supply side, a KW&SC spokesperson said the corporation activated its Landhi and Sherpao hydrants on the directives of CEO Ahmed Ali Siddiqui and kept tankers moving toward the site throughout the operation. The spokesperson added that an uninterrupted water supply was being maintained for the fire brigade, and that tankers would keep arriving until the fire was completely put out.
Impact: Why This Karachi Fire Incident Matters Beyond Landhi
The Landhi EPZ is a major hub for Karachi’s export industry, home to garment units, plastics factories, and other manufacturing businesses that employ thousands of workers. Every fire here carries a cost that goes well beyond the building itself: lost production, damaged machinery, disrupted export orders, and workers left without wages while operations are paused.
There’s also a safety dimension that keeps resurfacing. Karachi has a difficult history with industrial fires, and repeated incidents in the same zone raise fair questions about whether enforcement of fire codes is keeping pace with the scale of manufacturing happening there. Labour rights groups have long argued that Karachi’s factory sector needs stronger, more consistent safety inspections rather than reactive responses after each fire.
For workers and their families, incidents like this one are a reminder that industrial safety is not just a policy debate; it’s a daily risk. Even when a fire ends without deaths, as this one appears to have so far, the injuries, disruption, and fear it causes are real.
What Happens Next
Cooling operations were still underway as of the latest updates, and officials have not yet announced a cause for the fire. Investigations into incidents like this typically follow once the site is fully secured, examining factors such as electrical faults, stored materials, and the structural condition of the building involved.
Given how often fires have struck the Landhi EPZ recently, pressure is likely to build on local authorities and factory owners to review fire safety measures across the zone. Whether that translates into concrete action, or simply another round of statements after the next fire, remains to be seen.
FAQs
How many people died in the Baldia factory incident?
The Baldia Town factory fire remains the deadliest industrial disaster in Pakistan’s history. On September 11, 2012, a blaze broke out at the Ali Enterprises garment factory in Karachi’s Baldia Town, killing more than 260 workers and injuring dozens more. Investigators later concluded that the fire was not accidental but the result of arson tied to an extortion dispute, and several people were subsequently convicted in connection with the case.
How did the fire start in Karachi’s Landhi factory?
As of the latest updates, Rescue 1122 and other officials had not confirmed an official cause for the Landhi factory fire. Investigations into this kind of incident typically begin once the blaze is fully extinguished and the site has cooled enough for fire safety officers to examine the building. Past fires in the same industrial zone have been linked to causes ranging from welding sparks to electrical faults and poorly stored combustible material, so authorities will likely look at similar factors here.
In which district is Landhi Town located?
Landhi Town falls within Malir district in Karachi, Sindh. It’s home to the Karachi Export Processing Zone (EPZ), one of the city’s largest industrial areas, where garment manufacturing, plastics processing, and other export-focused businesses operate. The area has unfortunately become known in recent years for a series of factory fires, including this latest incident.
