What happened
A huge fire broke out at a clothes-dyeing factory in Karachi’s SITE industrial area on the evening of Thursday 26 February 2026, prompting authorities to call in fire tenders from across the metropolis. No casualties were reported.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaanul Haseeb Khan told Dawn that information about a fire at the factory near Nauras Chowrangi was received at about 6:15pm. Because of the intensity of the flames and the chemicals stocked inside the dyeing unit, the blaze was declared a third-degree fire and tenders were summoned from across the city.
Twelve fire tenders from Rescue 1122 and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation Fire Brigade, along with two snorkels, fought the fire and brought it under control by about 10pm, Khan said. Cooling operations continued afterwards to prevent the fire from flaring up again. Fire Brigade chief Humayun Ahmed Khan told the media that firefighters had initially succeeded in preventing the factory’s boilers from exploding, warning that an explosion would have caused widespread destruction. He said the factory had no fire-safety equipment installed. Officials said the blaze appeared to have been caused by an electrical short circuit.
Sindh Inspector General of Police Javed Alam Odho took notice of the incident and directed police to cordon off the area, secure the surroundings and clear a pathway for fire brigade and rescue teams. A police spokesperson said contingents of Keamari police, along with fire and rescue staff, remained at the scene in the SITE-B police station area.
Why it matters
The fire focused attention on industrial safety in Karachi’s largest manufacturing zone. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah ordered an inquiry into the cause of the blaze and directed a comprehensive audit of all factories across the province. He said proper records should be maintained for the storage and use of hazardous chemicals, that chemical-safety protocols must be strictly enforced, and that action would be taken against those stocking chemicals without permission.
The chief minister also ordered that fire-safety arrangements and chemical storage facilities in factories be examined and that an inspection drive of all industrial units be launched, with the audit report submitted to his office immediately. “No one will be allowed to endanger the lives of citizens and workers,” he said.
The incident was reported as the second factory fire in Karachi within two days, adding to concerns about enforcement of safety rules in the city’s industrial areas.
What is still uncertain
The cause of the fire had not been formally established; rescue officials described a short circuit as the apparent cause, pending the chief minister’s ordered inquiry. The extent of the damage to the factory and the value of the materials destroyed were not immediately quantified. It was also not clear how many of the province’s factories would be covered by the audit or what penalties might follow for units found without fire-safety equipment or chemical-storage permissions.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a synthesis of published material, not eyewitness reporting. Sources were reviewed on 26 February 2026.
- Dawn — "Fire breaks out at factory in Karachi's SITE"Published 26 Feb 2026 · The 6:15pm fire near Nauras Chowrangi, the third-degree classification, the 12 tenders and two snorkels, the boilers saved, the absence of fire-safety equipment, and the chief minister's inquiry and audit order.
- ARY News — "Fire breaks out at Sher Shah SITE factory as Karachi sees second blaze in two days"Published 26 Feb 2026 · The second factory fire in two days, the hazardous dyeing chemicals that complicated firefighting, the Rangers and IGP response, and the Sindh chief minister's call for a province-wide chemicals audit.
