Massive fire at chemical factory kills 16 in southern Pakistan

Firefighters are trying to rescue those stuck in the chemical factory

Representational: At least 16 have died because of the fire (AP)

At least 16 people, including children, died and several sustained injuries in a massive fire that broke out at a chemical factory in Pakistan's Karachi city on Friday, police and government officials said.

Twenty-five others were still trapped in the multi-story building where most windows were blocked, according to local media. The incident took place in the Mehran town of Karachi, the provincial capital of southern Sindh province.

TV footage showed firefighters dousing the flames and ambulances transporting victims, Associated Press reported.

The fire reportedly broke out on the ground floor of the three-storey building. Several factory workers on the second floor, however, died because they were trapped.

“The factory had only one entry point, which was also being used as an exit, and the roof exit was blocked, which badly hampered rescue efforts,” chief fire officer Mubeen Ahmed told Geo Tv.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

Syed Murad Ali Shah, the Sindh province chief minister, directed the Karachi commissioner and the labour department to furnish a report.

The spokesperson for the provincial government Murtaza Wahab told reporters that the firefighters have extinguished the blaze and cooling efforts were underway.