ISLAMABAD, March 21 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were dead and 13 others injured when a fire erupted in a multi-storey building in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi Thursday afternoon, local media reported.
According to reports, at least 50 people were trapped after the fire erupted on the third and fourth floors of the 14-storey building located on the University Road in Karachi's Gulshan-e-Iqbal area.
A senior local police officer told media that two people lost their lives after jumping off the building to escape, while 13 others including a woman suffered burn injuries in the fire.
The injured were shifted to the Civil Hospital Karachi and the Jinnah Medical College Hospital, where hospital officials said several among the injured were in critical condition.
Five fire tenders took part in the operation to douse the flames, said rescue officials, adding that firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze after three hours of hectic work and cooling process of the building was underway.
The fire erupted owing to a short circuit in an air conditioner on the fourth floor and spread through electrical wires, the fire brigade officials said.
Pakistan Navy helicopters were used to airlift people trapped in the building off the roof to safe area.
Chief Minister of Sindh Province Syed Murad Ali Shah directed the concerned authorities to take immediate steps to safely evacuate people from the building. He also asked hospital authorities to provide best medical treatment to the injured people.
