Pakistan

September 11 is a date with deep meaning in the United States — but also in other parts of the world, for different reasons.

On 11 September 2012, two garment factories in the Pakistani cities of Karachi and Lahore burst into flames,  killing 289 people and seriously injuring more than 600. The fires occurred in a textile factory in the western part of Karachi and in a shoemaking factory in Lahore and are considered to be the most deadly and worst industrial factory fires in Pakistan’s history.

Ali Enterprises in Karachi exported garments to Europe and the United States. The exit doors in the factory were locked and many of the windows were covered with iron bars, which made it difficult for workers to escape at the time of the fire and consequently many of the deaths were caused by suffocation.

The Baldia shoe factor in Lahore caught fire when sparks from a faulty electricity generator ignited chemicals stored in the facility. The generator was located in the garage of the factory, which was also the exit point.

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