A massive fire at the Customs facility in Lakpass, located in Balochistan’s Mastung district, continued to rage for a second consecutive day as firefighters struggled to bring the blaze under control.
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According to reports, the fire broke out at a customs warehouse where seized goods, including smuggled items, were being stored. The incident has reportedly destroyed valuables worth billions of rupees. Heavy smoke from the fire spread across the surrounding area, creating panic among nearby residents and commuters.
Authorities said firefighting efforts have continued for over 48 hours, but strong winds, the intensity of the flames and limited access routes have made containment difficult. At least 10 fire tenders from Quetta and Mastung were deployed to the site in an effort to extinguish the blaze.
The warehouse is located in the Lakpass area along the Quetta-Karachi highway, around 30 kilometres from Quetta. Reports suggest the fire also spread beyond the main warehouse and engulfed several loaded trucks and other vehicles parked nearby.
The situation reportedly worsened after a liquefied petroleum gas tanker exploded during the incident, intensifying the flames and increasing risks for rescue teams. Earlier reports indicated that at least 35 people suffered burn injuries following the fire and subsequent explosion.
Separate reports also claimed that amid the chaos, individuals looted spare vehicle parts, hybrid batteries and other valuable items from the affected warehouse. Witnesses alleged that expensive car parts were removed while the fire was still active.
Residents expressed concern over what they described as a delayed or insufficient security response, with claims that police and local administration officials were not visibly present during parts of the emergency. Officials have yet to confirm the exact cause of the fire. Investigations are expected to begin once the blaze is fully extinguished and the site is declared safe for inspection.
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The prolonged fire has raised concerns over storage safety measures at customs facilities handling flammable and high-value seized goods. Authorities are continuing efforts to control the blaze and assess the full scale of losses.