A day after a fire engulfed Karachi’s Cooperative Market in Saddar, a factory located in Karachi's SITE area also caught fire, Aaj News reported on Monday.

Fire engines located in the area are trying to douse the fire. It could not be immediately ascertained what caused it.

Despite being the financial hub and the country's largest metropolis, Karachi reports hundreds of fire incidents in a year owing to its outdated infrastructure and shortage of fire fighting equipment.

On Sunday, a fire engulfed Karachi’s Cooperative Market in Saddar and inflicted heavy financial losses. Initially, four fire engines were called, but the number was increased to 10 as the flames kept spreading.

Dozens of shops gutted as fire engulfs Karachi's Cooperative Market

The fire department declared it a third-degree fire and sought assistance from other government agencies including Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force, and the Karachi Port Trust. All fire stations across the metropolis were put on high alert.

Karachi Commissioner Muhammad Iqbal Memon, who arrived at the scene shortly after the incident was reported, said it would be early to say what caused the fire to start.

This article first appeared in Business Recorder on Nov 15, 2021.