KARACHI, JAN 16: A massive fire broke out at the Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) at Karachi Port on Friday, engulfing around 20 containers and forcing the suspension of handling operations of two ships, officials said.

According to port sources, the blaze erupted in a pile of containers inside the ICT terminal. Initial reports suggested that the fire may have originated in chemical containers, while some affected containers were carrying electronic items, chemicals, cloth and lithium batteries.

Rescue 1122 said the fire rapidly spread, trapping multiple containers at the terminal. Firefighting operations were launched immediately, with 13 fire tenders initially deployed to control the blaze.

As the intensity increased, the number of fire tenders was raised to 20, with all rescue personnel and port security teams remaining present at the site.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry took notice of the incident and directed authorities to utilise all available resources to bring the fire under complete control.

On his instructions, the Chairman Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and all relevant officers were ordered to reach the site.

The fire extinguishing operation was being carried out under the direct supervision of the KPT chairman. Officials said more than 80% of the fire had been brought under control, adding that no casualties were reported.

The KPT chairman has sought a detailed report from the port team on the incident and its causes, while efforts remain underway to fully extinguish the remaining flames and prevent further damage.