At least 30 people were killed when fire engulfed homes in a shanty town in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, local officials say.
At least 30 people were killed when fire engulfed homes in a shanty town in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, local officials say.
The blaze happened late on Thursday in a northern suburb of the city.
The blaze happened late on Thursday in a northern suburb of the city.
Many of those killed were asleep at the time of the fire, Pakistan's APP news agency says. At least 20 others were reported to be injured.
Many of those killed were asleep at the time of the fire and struggled to get out, Pakistan's APP news agency says. At least 20 others were injured.
The fire broke out after a power line fell on to the roof of a hut, local media reports say.
The fire broke out after a power line fell on to the roof of a hut, local media reports say.
It spread quickly, ripping through more than 30 homes. Thick black smoke could be seen rising from the scene, witnesses say.
Firefighters say the only exit from the shanty town - surrounded on three sides by larger buildings - appears to have been blocked by the flames.
"Most of the casualties seem to have been caused by the lack of exit route," the AFP news agency quoted fire brigade official Ehtesham Salaam as saying.
Most of the dead were women and children, local officials said.
Most of the dead were women and children, local officials said.
Several of the wounded were in a serious condition, an official at Karachi's Abbasi Shaheed Hospital told the French news agency AFP.
Several of the wounded were in a serious condition, an official at Karachi's Abbasi Shaheed Hospital said.
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