A fire broke out at the popular Zainab Market in Karachi on Wednesday just two days after hundreds of shops at the nearby Cooperative Market were gutted in another blaze. .

There were thick plumes of smoke rising from the upper floors of the multi-storey Victoria Centre, which house garment shops.

Police and the fire department has arrived at the scene of the fire and cleared the area of shopkeepers. At least six fire engines and one snorkel fire truck have been called in.

Zainab Market and Cooperative Market are located on the Abdullah Haroon Road in the Saddar area.

Local media, quoting KMC Chief Fire Officer Mubeen Ahmed, said that the fire started from the third floor of the building.

A huge fire ravaged the Cooperative Market on Sunday and reduced goods worth billions to ashes, with the chief fire officer of the city saying thast he suspected arson behind the fire.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has taken notice of the fire at Victoria Centre, a statement from the CM House said.

He has ordered Karachi's commissioner and the Karachi Municipal Corporation's administrator to conduct an inquiry into the incident to find out the cause of the fire.