Fire at chemical factory kills 10 in southern Pakistan
Rescue workers transport an injured person after recovering from a burnt chemical factory, in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. A massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing some workers and injuring several others, police and a government spokesman said. (AP Photo/Ikram Suri)
People identify the bodies of their relatives, who were died in a factory fire, at a morgue of a hospital, in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. A massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing some workers and injuring several others, police and a government spokesman said. (AP Photo/Ikram Suri)
Rescue workers search bodies at the site of a burnt chemical factory, in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. A massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing some workers and injuring several others, police and a government spokesman said. (AP Photo/Ikram Suri)
Rescue workers retrieve a body from a burnt chemical factory, in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. A massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing some workers and injuring several others, police and a government spokesman said. (AP Photo/Ikram Suri)
A man mourns over death of his family member in the chemical factory fire, outside the morgue of a hospital, in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. A massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing some workers and injuring several others, police and a government spokesman said. (AP Photo/Ikram Suri)
Rescue workers transport an injured person after recovering from a burnt chemical factory, in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. A massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing some workers and injuring several others, police and a government spokesman said. (AP Photo/Ikram Suri)
Rescue workers transport an injured person after recovering from a burnt chemical factory, in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. A massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing some workers and injuring several others, police and a government spokesman said. (AP Photo/Ikram Suri)
People identify the bodies of their relatives, who were died in a factory fire, at a morgue of a hospital, in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. A massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing some workers and injuring several others, police and a government spokesman said. (AP Photo/Ikram Suri)
People identify the bodies of their relatives, who were died in a factory fire, at a morgue of a hospital, in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. A massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing some workers and injuring several others, police and a government spokesman said. (AP Photo/Ikram Suri)
Rescue workers search bodies at the site of a burnt chemical factory, in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. A massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing some workers and injuring several others, police and a government spokesman said. (AP Photo/Ikram Suri)
Rescue workers search bodies at the site of a burnt chemical factory, in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. A massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing some workers and injuring several others, police and a government spokesman said. (AP Photo/Ikram Suri)
Rescue workers retrieve a body from a burnt chemical factory, in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. A massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing some workers and injuring several others, police and a government spokesman said. (AP Photo/Ikram Suri)
Rescue workers retrieve a body from a burnt chemical factory, in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. A massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing some workers and injuring several others, police and a government spokesman said. (AP Photo/Ikram Suri)
A man mourns over death of his family member in the chemical factory fire, outside the morgue of a hospital, in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. A massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing some workers and injuring several others, police and a government spokesman said. (AP Photo/Ikram Suri)
A man mourns over death of his family member in the chemical factory fire, outside the morgue of a hospital, in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. A massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing some workers and injuring several others, police and a government spokesman said. (AP Photo/Ikram Suri)
KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — A massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing at least 10 workers and injuring several others, police and a government spokesman said.
It was not immediately clear what caused the blaze in the congested Mehran Town neighborhood. TV footage showed firefighters dousing the flames, as ambulances continued transporting victims to a government hospital.
Murtaza Wahab, a spokesman for the provincial government, told reporters that the firefighters had almost extinguished the fire. He said officers had been asked to investigate what caused the fire. He said officers will also check whether the owner had installed fire extinguishing equipment.
Karachi is the capital of Sindh province, where many people have set up factories in residential areas in violation of building codes.