Fires are common in Karachi s industrial areas. There are 24 fire stations in different parts of the city, but whenever a fire breaks out in a factory located in an industrial area, there is a complaint that the fire engines arrived late, causing loss of life and property. This is what happened with the chemical factory fire that happened last week in which 17 labourers were killed. On August 27, the fire broke out in the chemical factory in the Korangi Industrial Area and the workers died of suffocation. The cause of the fire has yet to be ascertained but factory workers at the spot told the media that as usual the fire brigade arrived late. By the time they came the fire had intensi.