Karachi: A third-degree blaze broke out in a chemical factory located in Karachi's Korangi Mehran Town on Friday followed by huge clouds of smoke.

The cause of the fire is speculated to be an act of terror. A total of 14 fire tenders reached the town to contain the fire and rescue the workers trapped in the burning factory, reported ARY News.

Earlier in the day, more than 500 shops were burnt to ashes in Lala Musa, Gujrat in Pakistan's Punjab province as fire broke out in Lunda Bazar.

After a six-hour struggle and with more than 20 fire tenders the fire was contained.

All the shops were gutted in the blaze while two vehicles and a rickshaw were also gutted, said the rescue officials, reported the news channel.