A major fire broke out at Hutchison Ports KICT, Pakistan’s leading container terminal located in the Port of Karachi, west of the Indus Delta on the Arabian Sea, on January 16 at around 1:45 PM.

Today, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry expressed satisfaction with the timely response to the incident, noting that coordinated and professional efforts helped prevent significant losses.

The Minister commended Rear Admiral Kashif Munir, Rear Admiral Atiq-ur-Rehman, and their teams for their effective performance during the emergency. He mentioned that after the fire was brought under control, the cooling process continued late into the night. Investigations are currently underway to assess the financial damage from the incident and determine its exact causes.

Chaudhry emphasised that the Navy team’s immediate response, along with support from other institutions, played a crucial role in managing the situation.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Rescue 1122 said a container containing electrical gear, dry chemicals, and lithium batteries triggered the fire. The fire spread rapidly, engulfing 19 additional containers filled with batteries, clothes, and various goods. All 20 containers were ultimately destroyed, resulting in significant financial losses.

The spokesperson added that the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation supplied water tankers, and a total of 20 fire tenders from the rescue service, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s fire brigade, Karachi Port Trust, and the Pakistan Navy worked together to extinguish the blaze by 4:50 PM.