Fire destroys four floors of PNSC building: precious records gutted

A huge fire broke out at the headquarters of national flag carrier, -Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) on Sunday morning, reducing four floors to ashes causing loss of millions of rupees.
Interestingly, the fire took place after a lapse of 35 years at the same floor, when in 1972, the 11th floor of the building caught fire under mysterious circumstances leaving the flag carrier's stationery gutted.
Sources told Business Recorder that lack of fire extinguishing facilities in the metropolis and other important government organisations changed the scene and a localise fire turned into inferno.
While timely rescue operation help safe six persons who stuck into the floors and managed to reached at the top of the building from where they (six persons) were airlifted by the Pakistan Navy's Sea King helicopter backed by Army's chopper.
According to details, at about 9.15am, the 11th floor of PNSC headquarters, a 15-storey building at Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan Road, caught fire but due to height and lack of proper facilities, the fire fighters arrived were helpless and unable to extinguish the blaze at such height.
Some 24-fire tenders including eight and one snorkel from the Port Fire Services of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and rest from all over the city's fire fighting teams immediately reached the place of incident, but in vain.
Due to its height of 85-feet, the KPT's two snorkels had little pressure to make water reach even up to 9th floor, while the city government's snorkel of 110-feet could throw water shower near a little beyond 9th floor.
The fire started from western side of 11th floor and was brought under control after about two hours. However, when fire engines were returning back, it again erupted and engulfed the entire floor and other floors.
No loss of life was reported because the offices were close due to Sunday being holiday. However, six persons-a security man and five firemen were injured and shifted to Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK).
A senior source said that the smoke detectors malfunctioned in the building and some censors of fire alarm system were out of order and needed replacement but due to non-availability of such censors the entire (fire alarm) system was disabled. "If such system remained operational this could not happened to the building," the source added.
On 11th floor housed, PNSC's Afloat and Shore personnel, Estate, Public Relations, Protocol and Administration departments while one portion accommodate some the offices of National Engineering Services of Pakistan (NESPAK).
The 12th floor accommodates Finance and Accounts, Insurance and Claims, Computer departments. The 14th floor housed PNSC management, PNSC's board directors, chairman and minister office and library.
The 15th floor accommodates offices of Mega Group of Companies, PNSC's Share, Legal, Provident Fund departments including boardroom and secretariat. The Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Khan Ghauri also reached the spot and supervised the fire fighting operation.
He informed the media that a three-member team has been formed to ascertain the causes of fire.
Meantime, the operation department of corporation worked normally and remained in contact with its fleet abroad, a source said, "For a time being, we have shifted our operations department to anchored oil tanker MT Shalamar at OP-I, East Wharf, Karachi port." A source further said, "We have conveyed all messages from our vessel (Shalamar) to entire fleet (all ships) voyaging in international seas and even remained in contact with our charterers and agents internationally."
The source said, "The corporation posses all relevant and important record at some other places for safety reasons and on Monday, all burnt offices shifted to the first floor of the same building." The source claimed that, "The building remained intact and no major damage witnessed."