Huge fire erupts at Techno City building

Fire that broke out early Monday in the Techno City Building where private TV channel offices are also situated was extinguished after hours-long rescue efforts by the fire fighting teams. Fire broke out in the building located in New Chali area near II Chundrigar Road at around 5:00am when most of the traders and employees were out of the building. "Fire was caused due to short circuit in the basement and engulfed the whole building," Chief Fire Officer Tehsin Siddiqui said.
No loss of life was reported till filing of this report, although details of huge financial losses would come later. Sindh Minister for Local Government Saeed Ghani and Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar also visited the site to review the rescue operation.
Mayor said generators and their fuel (diesel) were also placed in the basement. He was surprised how Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) approved the design of building that has no fire exit facility in an emergency situation. There was no system for the air ventilation too.
"Windows of the building were sealed due to which smoke inside the rooms hindered the rescue operation," Mayor said. The building is located in a congested area of the metropolis and houses numerous offices and shops dealing technology products.
Besides Karachi Metropolitan Corporation's Fire Brigade teams, Pakistan Navy's fire tenders and firefighters also participated in the operation. The LG Minister Saeed Ghani said that the provincial government would provide a snorkel and ten fire tenders to KMC fire Brigade within next few days. He directed Deputy Commissioner South to make a detailed survey of the building and submit detailed report to him about the fire.
"It is responsibility of Civil Defence department to ensure that all the buildings and ware houses are equipped with fire extinguishers and have all equipments to extinguish the fire," he said, adding that it was not the time of political point scoring. He urged all should think of safety of people. The minister also urged the people who get these offices on rent should ensure that building was equipped with fire extinguishing sources. A few days back, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah vowed to hand over one snorkel and three fire tenders to Karachi administration and seven other fire tenders to the administration of other divisional headquarters of the province.
He also said that a snorkel and 10 fire tenders have been purchased at Rs 389 million. "I want to hand over one snorkel and three fire tenders to Karachi, six fire tenders to other divisional headquarters and one fire tender to Qasimabad, Hyderabad," he had said.