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| Safety flaws blamed as Pakistan factory fires kill more than 300 | Safety flaws blamed as Pakistan factory fires kill more than 300 |
| (7 months later) | |
| Factory fires in Pakistan's two biggest cities have killed more than 300 people – and been blamed on barred windows, shoddy building standards and the flouting of basic safety regulations. | Factory fires in Pakistan's two biggest cities have killed more than 300 people – and been blamed on barred windows, shoddy building standards and the flouting of basic safety regulations. |
| At least 289 died after becoming trapped in a blazing underwear factory in the coastal megalopolis of Karachi on Tuesday evening. More were injured after trying to escape by jumping out of high windows of the five-floor building, including a pregnant woman. | At least 289 died after becoming trapped in a blazing underwear factory in the coastal megalopolis of Karachi on Tuesday evening. More were injured after trying to escape by jumping out of high windows of the five-floor building, including a pregnant woman. |
| That fire came just hours after a similar blaze in an illegally built shoe factory in Lahore, which killed at least 25. | That fire came just hours after a similar blaze in an illegally built shoe factory in Lahore, which killed at least 25. |
| Pakistani TV broadcast harrowing footage of the Karachi fire, the worst industrial disaster to hit the city in decades. | Pakistani TV broadcast harrowing footage of the Karachi fire, the worst industrial disaster to hit the city in decades. |
| Rescue workers said the factory was a death trap, with many of those inside having no chance to escape the flames and toxic fumes. | Rescue workers said the factory was a death trap, with many of those inside having no chance to escape the flames and toxic fumes. |
| Muhammad Ilyas, one of the injured workers, said he had been with about 50 other men and women on one of the floors when a fireball suddenly erupted from the staircase. "I jumped from my seat as did others and rushed toward the windows, but iron bars on the windows barred us from escaping. Some of us quickly took tools and machines to break the iron bars." | Muhammad Ilyas, one of the injured workers, said he had been with about 50 other men and women on one of the floors when a fireball suddenly erupted from the staircase. "I jumped from my seat as did others and rushed toward the windows, but iron bars on the windows barred us from escaping. Some of us quickly took tools and machines to break the iron bars." |
| The twin tragedies will focus attention on the weak workplace safety regime in a country that relies heavily on its low-cost garment and textile industries for vital export earnings. | The twin tragedies will focus attention on the weak workplace safety regime in a country that relies heavily on its low-cost garment and textile industries for vital export earnings. |
| "There were no safety measures … there was no emergency exit. All the people got trapped," said Amjad Farooqi, a senior Karachi police official. | "There were no safety measures … there was no emergency exit. All the people got trapped," said Amjad Farooqi, a senior Karachi police official. |
| Faulty wiring, unsafe chemicals and a lack of emergency exits were blamed for the deaths in the factory in a residential area of Lahore . | Faulty wiring, unsafe chemicals and a lack of emergency exits were blamed for the deaths in the factory in a residential area of Lahore . |
| The efforts of firefighters and ambulances were hindered by huge crowds of onlookers. | The efforts of firefighters and ambulances were hindered by huge crowds of onlookers. |
| One rescue officer, Ahmad Raza, told the Dawn newspaper that the fire had been triggered by faulty wiring in one part of the building, which he said ignited nearby chemicals that had not been properly stored. | One rescue officer, Ahmad Raza, told the Dawn newspaper that the fire had been triggered by faulty wiring in one part of the building, which he said ignited nearby chemicals that had not been properly stored. |
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